Green to Go
by Ibookster
Summary: Tommy Crane was just an ordinary kid who didn't ask for anything when all in one day, he meets a super villain, two super heroes, his dad dies, and some weird green ring latches onto him. Happy birthday! Rated T for some language and violence.
1. Chapter 1: The Ring

Author's Note (AN): This is my first fan fic so I hope you like it! I'm gonna be adding a character from Imaginationgonewild92 called Blade; I love her work (at least I think she's a her), read her story "New Beginnings" to see her back story, along with a few other tweaks. But don't worry they'll be rather obvious. Enjoy!

* * *

It was dark. It had just started raining so the smell of mold permeated the air. There was blood everywhere. I put my hands on his neck in attempt to stop the bleeding, but his blood was already spreading. I pulled off my shirt and balled it by his wound.

"Hold on dad," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "Somebody help me!" I shouted again out of desperation. But no one would come. We were in Gotham, a cesspit so disgusting and crime filled that someone getting shot was just as normal as rain. "Help please!" I yelled.** I had made three mistakes that day.**

_"T...Tommy?"_ Dad's voice was barely a whisper as he said my name. "I'm here Dad." I replied. "Just hold on, and don't talk." I forced a smile, "Save your energy for the game." Our baseball gloves were by my leg. We were finally gonna see a professional game! And then a bunch of goons had to go and ruin it.** Three mistakes.**

_"To...mmy... I... need to... to ugh... tell you... about your... mother..." _My eyes widened. Dad never talks about my mom, not since she died when I was two. All I knew about her was that she was a cop and that I apparently look a heck of a lot like her with my blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. **Three damned mistakes. **_"Your mother... she's... she's not..." _and with that his eyes went dark.

"Dad? DAD?! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" **I made three mistakes and now my dad is dead.**

* * *

**11 HOURS AGO:**

_BEEP BEEP BEEP! _My alarm buzzed making that sound that instantly makes you despise it, well waking me up doesn't put you on my "friends list" very quickly either. I rolled onto my side to turn off my alarm and was greeted by a blinding flash.

"Happy birthday kiddo!"

I rubbed my eyes and looked up to see my dad in the most ridiculous get up ever. He had on a big pink party hat with a yellow puff ball on top and a sweater so horrendous it'd make you think it was Christmas time except for the fact that it said "happy birthday" on it. I laughed, I wouldn't be caught dead in it so he wore it every year.

"I've got breakfast a'waitin' in the kitchen," he said with a little too much enthusiasm, "a full pancake buffet!" He rushed out of the room.

I chuckled to myself. He was a dork but he was all I had and I loved him. I looked around my room. It was caked in clothing. I smiled at the thought of all of the times Dad asked me to clean. But not today, he never asked me to do chores on my birthday.

I Got out of bed and trudged out into the hall way and looked into our small apartment. It wasn't much but it was home. I looked and saw Dad at the small table in the kitchenette stuffing pancakes in his mouth. I looked around the room, it was small with only a table, a futon; where dad slept, and a TV on a stand. The TV was on and showing some news report about a fire at someplace called "Cadmus", what ever that was, but it seems that the Justice League had taken care of it.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water was cold but I didn't mind, I never complain. After a while the water git hotter and I relaxed a little. I stepped out of the shower and quickly brushed my teeth and changed into my usual outfit, a blue t-shirt with a black vest and a pair of blue-grey jeans along with black glasses and sneakers. "Tommy c'mon and eat."

I walked out and the news had changed, now it was talking about how there was an armored car heading for the Gotham bank to "replenish it's supply of dollar bills after on Bruce Wayne made a substantial withdrawal". I furrowed my brow. An armored car? In Gotham? Yeah that's going to go along swimmingly. I sat down by Dad and started dishing my self up some pancakes. I was about to pour the syrup on them when my dad stuck a lit candle in the center.

"What's this?" I asked skeptically.

"Make a wish!" He replied with a smile. "Dad, I'm just turning nine," I said with a huff, "it's not that important."

My dad gave me a serious look, "All birthdays are important." He said, "and besides, I cant make a cake so I made PAN-cakes." He had a huge smile on his face, "Now make a wish." I closed my eyes and blew. When I opened my eyes my dad held up two Yankees tickets.

"DAD!" I said wide eyed, "are those...?

"Yep." He said with a devilish smile playing across his lips. "They're for tonight, I bought them in advance to surprise you! I was thinking that after you're done with school you could go to the library and I'll pick you up after I finish some... business." He said the last word so forlornly, like it hurt to say. I knew what business he had. He was going to see grandma's grave. I didn't know her well but she and Dad were very close. He always visited her on Saturdays.

Just then I heard the bus honk from outside. "Gotta go! Don't wanna be late!" I said grabbing my bag.

"Tommy wait!" Dad called as I walked out the door. I turned and he tousled my hair and kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

My day went along as usual, I went to school then to my karate class, Dad wanted me to be able to defend myself, and then to the library. I stopped outside the library and looked over at the bank next door. The armored car was just leaving. My eyebrows came together in a moment of confusion. It was leaving, unharmed. _In Gotham! _You would think that it would be as tempting as an alcoholic in a liquor store that's giving out free samples to the freaks in this town. But hey, I'm not complaining. It's just I had taken the long way to get here in hopes of avoiding and attempt at robbery of the truck. That was my first mistake.

I walked into the library and waved to the librarian behind the front desk, "Hey Molly." I called. Now I know all those stereotypes about old ladies who run libraries like it's their own personal boot camp but Molly was different. She was tall and had long beautiful bleach blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. She was a bit like my tutor, not that I needed it... I may have only been nine, but I was a smart nine. My dad worked tirelessly in order to put me through school so I cherished learning. If I wanted to I could've been in high school if I wanted to. But in all honesty I kinda had a crush on Molly.

She smiled at me, "Hey Tommy, how are you?"

"I'm good," I said as I pulled out my books from the previous week. "How are you?"

"I'm doing OK, you returning these?"

"All except this one," I said pulling one from the pile, "I'd like to renew this one."

"'The Story of the Justice League'," she said reading the cover, "Again? That's the third time? You have to have read it by now!"

"I've read it like twelve times!" I said excitedly.

"OK well hey wait! Isn't today you're birthday?"

"Yeah, it is" I said, delighted that she remembered. "I love it!"

"I'll tell you what, I'll give you this book as a birthday gift!" She offered.

"Really?"

"Yeah. In fact..." She typed something into the computer. "There! It has officially been 'lost'." She put air quotes around the last word.

"Thanks!" I almost yelled.

"Anything for you champ," she said as she tousled my hair. She treated me like a kid but I didn't care.

I was paroozing the fiction section when I saw a shadow pass by my shoulder. I turned and saw two men in the corner wearing big dark coats. And by the looks of things, they were up to no good, they were trying to make some trouble in my neighborhood (sorry I had to). They were whispering to each other so I couldn't actually hear what they were saying. Suddenly one of them walked over to the wall opposite me and put something on the wall. My curiosity peaked and I walked over to it.

I only had enough time to think "OH SHI-" before the C-4 on the wall exploded sending me flying. I might've died right there if the library had gone for the wooden chairs other than the mercifully soft bean-bag chairs. But soft as it is, the bag still burst sending plastic pellets everywhere. I got up slowly, my head was spinning. I saw the two men throw off their coats, revealing a couple of nasty looking guns, and rushed out the newly formed exit.

I fallowed them. I don't know why I did but I did. Weather it was out of curiosity, or maybe a strange longing for adventure that I didn't even know I had, or even a desire to serve justice like my mother did before me. But for whatever reason I fallowed them. And that was my second mistake.

It was getting dark already, with it almost being winter the days were getting shorter, and it seemed like it was going to rain soon. The two goons with guns joined five other people in the alleyway. I quickly hid behind a dumpster and peered around the back to see who the new guys were. Three of the new five were just more thugs but the other two- No! There's no way my luck was this bad!

"Welcome to the party!" The Joker said with a wicked grin on his face.

"Actually puddin the party's inside!" Harley Quinn said gesturing to the wall.

"Oh, well then let's get inside!" Joker started padding his purple and green suit and checking his pockets. "Oh dear," he said, "I seem to have miss placed my key. Would one of you not-so-gentlemen min?" He pointed to the wall like a magician revealing his assistant that appeared out of nowhere.

One of the henchmen sighed and walked to put another bomb on the wall but before he could Joker stopped him.

"You don't like my jokes?" He asked.

"Sir," the man responded, "I'd just like to got the job over and done with." _'Oh no'_ I thought. I could see the veins in Joker's neck, he was so mad. The Joker frowned. _'Holy god'_. He turned away for a moment then in one fluid motion reached inside his coat, pulled out a pistol and shot the man in the chest. I couldn't breathe. I may have lived in Gotham my whole life but I had never actually seen someone get shot.

"I hate people with no sense of humor." He said while rubbing his eyes. He knelt down and smiled at the poor man. "Hey don't look so sad buddy. Look I got something for ya." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a capsule and dropped it by the bleeding man's head. The capsule started spouting a green gas. The man started coughing and crying. Wait, he wasn't crying... The smoke cleared and the man had a huge grin splayed across his lips. He was laughing. He just got shot and he was laughing! He was probably going to die AND HE WAS LAUGHING!

"There you go!" Joker said taking the bomb from the dying man. "Daddy always said if you want something done right," he placed the bomb on the wall and stepped back, "then hire better help!"

There was a deafening boom as the wall blew.

* * *

Batman, Robin and Batgirl dashed across the rooftops of Gotham, on patrol for any criminal activity, when Robin stopped suddenly.

"What's up Dick?" Batgirl asked.

Robin pulled up the holographic screen for the computer on his arm. "Looks like Joker's hit the bank, probably after the new bills from the armored car delivery earlier today." He said.

"Alright, let's-" Batman was interrupted by his own com buzzing. "The Riddler is attacking the mall." He said.

"That's on the other side of town from the bank! And in the other direction!" Batgirl pointed out.

"I'll take the Riddler," Batman said, "You two get the Joker."

"Right," both Robin and Batgirl said at the same time.

* * *

I turned and tucked into a ball, shielding myself behind the dumpster. But even still I was knocked forward by the shock wave. I stood up and shook the rubble off of me. When I turned to look at the group they had already gone inside.

I creeped along the wall and peered in the hole. Joker had blown into a small room that looked to be an office. The Joker, Harley and their four remaining goons stood in the center of a room, all wearing gas masks. There were five other people in the room, one was a man in a suit who lay under a pile of rubble, the others all looked like guards. Joker dropped a smoke grenade which started filling the room with more f that "laughing gas."

"Now," Joker spoke up, "which way to the present room?" they headed off down the hall.

The gas was almost spilling out of the room by now. I looked at the man Joker had shot. He had a gas mask on him. I crawled over to him. The mask was on his belt. I stared at it for a moment. If I waited any longer I might loose them, but I had never touched a dead body before. I swallowed my fear and disgust and just grabbed it. Before I had the chance to think about what I was doing I slipped on the mask and hurried down the hall after Joker.

At the end of the hallway was a large metal door to a safe. The eight guards who would be protecting the safe had already been dispatched, either by gas or gunfire, and the goons were attaching some device to the door. I hid behind a filing cabinet on the left of the hallway and peeked over, still not sure about what I was doing or why I was there.

Somebody had to stop them... But I couldn't, I was only nine! But I was the only one here! I looked to my right. There was a guard who had been hit by the gas. His face was blue from lack of breath. His pistol was still in his hand. I had never shot someone before. I'd held a gun. My dad had three and we had gone camping last year and he had let me fire one at some cans. And I was good too. But this was different. I would be trying to shoot these people. But someone had to stop them. And no one else was here.

I tentatively reached for the pistol and pried it from the poor man's fingers. His hand was warm and sweaty. He held on to it with a firm grip, I had to fight him in order to get it but after a while I had it. I looked at everyone. All four of them were staring at the safe. I lifted the gun and aimed at Joker. I took a breath and...

_CLICK! _I turned and stared straight down the barrel of an Uzi. _'Six!'_ I thought, _'There were six guys!'_ "Drop it kid." The goon said. He knocked the mask from my face with a strong punch, knocking me on my butt at the same time.

"Oh!" The Joker complained, "I wanted to see if he'd do it!" He turned and looked at me with eyes so cold that they'd make a penguin swim north for the winter. He looked at me and saw my bag. He walked over and grabbed it, I was too stunned to fight. He pulled out my book and said, "So you were in the library huh? Well, I see you like the Justice League! I prefer something funnier, like a horror or murder mystery." He looked at me, I just stared back dumbfounded at how stupid I was. "Huh, just kill him I guess." He walked back over to stand by Harley,throwing the book over his shoulder as he did so.

He turned and smiled at me, "Let's see if the Justice League can save you now!" He threw his head back and cackled.

Just then I heard someone laughing. It sounded like a kid. A little boy not much older than me. Something with a rope attached to it stuck into the wall by the safe. I looked to the source of the rope and saw the small frame of a girl shooting towards the guy aiming a gun at my head. She kicked him tot the ground and threw something at another of the thugs. Electricity arched from a little spot on his chest where it hit and he collapsed next to the other two guards who were dispatched by a boy who looked to be about thirteen. I hadn't even seen him come in. I recognized the two as Batgirl and Robin. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Oh, it's the bat-brats." Joker said. "Harley dear would you mind?"

"Neva' mind puddin'" she responded rushing Batgirl.

Batgirl pulled out two long sticks and took down Harley in one move. "Run kid!" She shouted. I stared at her in wonder. "GO!" she said pointing back to the alley.

I realized she was talking to me, "Oh. Oh right!" I said taking off down the hall. "And don't call me kid!" I yelled over my shoulder.

"You're welcome." She replied under her breath.

* * *

I got out into the alley and heard someone yell behind me, "Get back here kid!" I turned and saw the guy who had almost killed me running after me, aiming his gun.

"Tommy!" I heard my dad call my name. I looked over and saw him crossing the police line and run over to me.

"DAD!" I screamed. That was my third mistake. Why? Because the thug chasing me was just behind me and hearing me yell he looked at my dad, and he thought my dad was a cop. He panicked. Firing blindly in Dad's direction.

I couldn't breathe. _'No'_ I thought. _'NO!NO!NO!NO!' _That's all I could think. I got to him as he collapsed to the ground. I slid in beside him and propped his head up on my lap.

"Dad?" I asked fighting back tears. I put my hand on his neck to feel his pulse and my blood went cold. It came away red.

_"Tommy?"_ He asked. He had dropped our baseball gloves, we were gonna get them signed.

I looked up. Where the thug was, was now Batgirl standing on the now unconscious man.

_"Help."_ I struggled out. She stared at me with obvious sadness in her eyes. "Help me, please!"

Robin ran out of the bank and grabbed her arm. "We gotta go! Batman needs help with the Riddler!"

"But..." She stopped him and pointed at me.

"Huh," Robin sighed, "The Riddler has dozens of hostages. If we don't go now they could all die!" He shot a cord onto the rooftop and zipped away without waiting for her.

She looked right at me and said, "I'm sorry..." and with that she was gone.

"Somebody help me!" I yelled.

It was dark. It had just started raining so the smell of mold permeated the air. There was blood everywhere. I put my hands on his neck in attempt to stop the bleeding, but his blood was already spreading. I pulled off my shirt and balled it by his wound.

"Hold on dad," I said, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. "Somebody help me!" I shouted again out of desperation. But no one would come. We were in Gotham, a cesspit so disgusting and crime filled that someone getting shot was just as normal as rain. "Help please!" I yelled. I had made three mistakes that day.

_"T...Tommy?"_ Dad's voice was barely a whisper as he said my name. "I'm here Dad." I replied. "Just hold on, and don't talk." I forced a smile, "Save your energy for the game." Our baseball gloves were by my leg. We were finally gonna see a professional game! And then a bunch of goons had to go and ruin it. Three mistakes.

_"To...mmy... I... need to... to ugh... tell you... about your... mother..." _My eyes widened. Dad never talks about my mom, not since she died when I was two. All I knew about her was that she was a cop and that I apparently look a heck of a lot like her with my blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. Three damned mistakes. _"Your mother... she's... she's not..." _and with that his eyes went dark.

"Dad? DAD?! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I made three mistakes and now my dad is dead.

I pressed my face into his blood soaked shirt and cried. I punched the ground.

"Damn it!" I yelled, "DAMN IT! Why?" I punched the ground again. "WHY?!" _'Why did he have to die?'_ He was all I had left!

I pulled away and sat against the wall of the bank, curled up in the fetal position and leaned my head back. I didn't blame Batgirl, or Robin. Heroes had to make calls like that all the time. A sob shook my chest threatening to tear me apart.

* * *

I don't know how long I sat there, but it couldn't have been that much time because it was before the cops showed up that I saw the light. It was a bright green light. I didn't think I was dead. And I knew I wasn't asleep. So what was that light. It was so bright, but for some reason I couldn't look away.

_Who are you?_ asked a voice in my head.

"T-Tommy?" I said unsure.

_You are uncertain of your own name?! _It asked sternly.

I stood up and set my jaw. "I am Thomas Crane!" I said with more confidence.

_What do you feel 'Thomas Crane?'_ It said the last words in my voice like some kind of recording.

I thought for a moment. "Sadness, loneliness,... anger,... rage..." I said.

_Do you wish vengeance apon those who made you feel this way?_

I thought again... I remember a story my dad once told me about my mom.

"No," I said, "not vengeance. Justice!"

The light grew brighter and brighter until I had to cover my eyes with my right hand. I closed my eyes and turned my head. Something slipped over my right middle finger. A ring...

Suddenly every muscle in my body tensed, my lips pulled apart and my jaw clenched. I tried to scream but all that came out was something in between a grunt and a growl.

"NNNNNNNGGHHHHHAAAAA!"

I opened my eyes, I was enveloped in the green light so much so that my eyes burned. My clothes... changed. My vest and sneakers turned green and my shoes turned into boots. My pants shrunk until they fit snug against my body and extended under the open vest and onto my arms, becoming a full body black suit that ended at my elbows. Gloves appeared on my hands, they were black with white fingers. And finally, a mask spawned on my face covering from my cheek bones to my brow, it was also green (am I the only one seeing a pattern?).

The whole experience was incredibly painful. Once it was done I fell to my knees. I looked at my reflection in a puddle. I noticed something on my chest. It was a symbol of some kind. Two horizontal green bars on top and bottom of a green circle, all in a white filled circle. _'The symbol of-!' _I thought.

_Welcome, to the Green Lantern Core._

* * *

I know, evil cliff hanger on the first one!? "But hey, always leave them wanting more!" I hope you liked it!


	2. Chapter 2: The Ship

AN: Writing this one right after the other so I don't know how well revived this series is but I'm hoping that y'all like it!

* * *

**5 YEARS LATER:**

"I'll get the guy, you secure the container!" Rashaun shouted as we ran.

"On it!" I yelled jumping onto a ladder. I went up the ladder three rungs at a time, half climbing half flying. I got to the top and sprinted down the top of the containers at full speed, skidding to a halt at the one that was about to fall. When I got there I gulped. It was far worse than first glance would entail.

The metal locks that would normally hold the containers together were working too well. The metal had fused together and now was pulling the others down with the first. I wasn't sure there was anything I could do. But I was the only one here...

As the ship rode up another wave I reached and grabbed the cable attaching the containers together and pulled, trying to pull the falling one back into place. I was starting to make progress, and praying that the rope held **when I was struck by lightning.**

* * *

**A FEW WEEKS AGO:**

I hefted the wooden crate onto my shoulder and carried it over to the freighter with the others. I set it down and looked over at the other guys hired to move this junk as I scratched my false goatee. I pulled my hood closer over my head to guard against the cold night air. I had gotten a job as a loader for a ship in exchange for a ride. Now I was dressed in a disguise to pass for someone older, which had become easy for me. I had a substantial growth spurt over the last few years, making me look more like an adult, rather than a fourteen year-old. All I added was a fake beard and a beanie and BOOM! I'm a different person.

I had given up on The Joker a while ago, Batman had him covered. Instead I chose to do the smaller stuff. The missions that were too small for the Justice League. The people still needed help, even if it was only some punk robbing a corner store, or a few thugs selling crack out of a beat-up old shack, or even just a simple fire, the people involved were still people. People who needed justice.

I had on a big black raincoat and a pair of dark blue pants, with thick black combat boots. A simple look, designed to not draw attention. I also become good at that. Not drawing attention to myself. Sticking the shadows and blending with the darkness. I finished loading the crates and dusted myself off.

"Thanks again Ryan!" The captain called to me, "Without you I would've been short handed all the way to Qurac. You sure all you want is a ride? I'm willing to pay."

"Nah that's OK," I had to consciously deepen my voice to make it seem more mature, "I got no need for money." I used slang to seem like a hired grunt.

"Hey, why are you goin' to Qurac anyway?" He asked.

"That's my business." I said, standing up tall to intimidate him a bit. Another thing I've gotten good at. It was easy to intimidate the captain with him being a whole four inches shorter than me.

In truth? I was going investigate a hunch I had. And to find a friend. Dozens of kids had been disappearing over the past couple weeks. You wouldn't see it on the news because all of the kids were run-aways but if you asked the right people, you could tell. I had traveled from town to town looking for my next "assignment" if you would, and I stayed in homeless shelters. In those shelters there were people who cared about those kids. I can't count how many times I was asked if I had seen a kid about my age with blah blah hair and blah blah eyes. But there was more than that, I became good friends with this one kid, Jack. And one night while we were out skateboarding he was grabbed by this huge lady with a barbed wire tattoo. After some research I found out that the Woman worked for Queen Bee, the leader of Qurac.

"Alright, alright! You've earned your privacy!" He responded walking away. "We leave in an hour so get yourself one last burger because for the next few weeks its all freeze dried."

I nodded and walked to the Burger King that was right across the street from the docks and walked in. My stomach growled at the smell of food. It seems that the entire crew had the same idea. I sighed. The line was so long the guy walking in the door almost ran me over.

"Hey! Easy!" I said catching him.

"Whoa, sorry buddy!" He had dark bronze skin and was taller than me by a full head. "Just really hungry. It feels like I can't even remember the last time I ate!" He said with a laugh.

I put a hand on my shrinking stomach, "I-uh. I can relate." I said. By now I was at the front of the line. I turned and said. "I'll take a large double whopper combo with cheese and bacon and a milkshake."

"Whoa, someone's hungry," said the guy behind me.

I pulled out my wallet and sighed at the lowly five dollar bill that lay inside. "Ya' know what, make it a medium and forget the milkshake." I looked up at the girl behind the counter. She was kinda cute, she had long red hair and looked to be about sixteen. "Don't wanna get too fat." I said forcing a smile.

I payed for the food then sat in the corner, not bringing attention to myself. I got so engrossed in eating that I didn't even notice the guy sit across from me until he coughed.

"Ugh, ahem." I looked up, it was the guy who was behind me in line. "I never got your name." He was holding out a chocolate shake to me.

"Thanks," I said taking it, "but I was gonna get vanilla."

"I didn't want a little guy like you to starve."

"Little?" I asked exasperated. "Look just because you're a mountain doesn't mean everyone else is small. In fact a normal person would actually refer to me as tall!"

"OK Shakespeare." He chuckled. "I'm Rashaun." He said holding out his hand.

"Ryan." I said through a mouthful of food, taking his outstretched hand.

"So why are you going to Qurac?" He asked as he tucked in to his food.

"I'm going to see a friend." I replied, not revealing much. "You?"

"Oh I'm just here for the work." He smiled, "Need the money ya' know?"

"For anything in particular?" I asked making small talk. It would be good to have a friend on the ship other than the smelly old captain. Seriously did that dude eat anything other than herring?

"My son." He beamed. "He's in school to become a doctor." His pride was so apparent on his face it'd make a nun faint. "And tuition is killing me, so I took this job."

We spoke for a while longer. He told me about his wife, Beatrice, and his home in New York. "Not the city of course," he'd say. He could never afford that. I would smile politely and respond occasionally, but mostly just listened. Rashaun seemed like a good guy, and a great dad. He kind of reminded me of my dad... I quickly pushed those thoughts out of my head. They were just distractions. My dad was dead, I had to except that.

After what seemed like only ten minutes the rest of the crew started to leave. I stood up and started gathering up the garbage, startling Rashaun who was in the middle of some story about his high school basketball career. Chatty guy.

"Almost time to shove off." I said motioning to the others. He nodded and stood. He balled up what remained of his sandwich and put it in his pocket, looking a little disoriented at how much time had passed. We walked back to the docks together and I stopped just in front of the ramp to board.

_'Alright'_ I thought, _'here I come Jack...'_ And I walked up the gangplank.

* * *

**5 WEEKS LATER:**

I clung to the railing at the side of the ship as another twenty-foot wave threatened to capsize us. Lightning shot through the air illuminating the sky. I ran across the water covered metal and slid to a stop next to a crate that had come loose and started to retie the ropes, but they were wet, making it harder then it should've been. I flinched as an explosion ripped the very air in half with a deafening _CRACK!_ My dad always used to say that people weren't really afraid of lightning, but of the thunder that came afterward. I thought that was stupid at the time. I mean thunder was just a noise. Lightning was actual plasma, like fire! Who wouldn't fear lightning? But that was before I had ridden across the Atlantic on a forty-year-old hunk of junk during a thunderstorm.

I worked quickly and diligently, not waning to spend any more time than necessary exposed to the elements out on the deck. I finished tying the rope and ran back to the rail, hauling myself along by the rope attached to my waist. I got back to the rail and was greeted by a hand gripping my shoulder. It was Rashaun.

"Still think it was worth the money you saved by not taking a plane?!" He shouted over the wind.

I smiled at him, "At least there's plenty of elbow room!"

"Damn it's cold in here!" He said as he pulled his coat on tighter, "'Deadliest catch'? More like 'deadliest ride'"

I laughed. I had no idea how cold it was. The ring kept me warm and protected me against... well... everything! I was crushed by a huge box last week, but I didn't even feel it! It gave me all kinds of powers. I could see much farther, with the mask on, and lift amazing amounts of weight. I could even fly! Oh god how I loved to fly! It combined the freedom of swimming with the adrenalin rush of running. Although, unlike the famous Green Lanterns, I couldn't yet make one of those energy-fists or swords or... really anything. I also had never met any of the Green Lanterns. I learned about the Guardians and Oa and all of the other members of the core through the ring, but it said that I probably didn't have enough energy for space travel yet. Nor did I really want to go to Oa. Well I mean it would be cool but I had things to do on earth. Plus I was kind of afraid that they'd take away my ring.

I looked down at it on my finger. It had been five years since I got it and I haven't taken it off since. The ring had told me that I was actually the youngest Green Lantern that had ever been. That was why I could only do so little, my body couldn't take the stress of exerting that much energy at once. But I realized that with a great amount of will power I could force the energy out and use it. Well sort of, I could make a small hand and grab small stuff. It's funny, until I got the ring I never thought of things like "will power," but once the ring told me that that was the key to a Green Lantern's power it became easy.

"Our shift's over!" Rashaun yelled, shaking me out of my thought. He was pointing at his watch. Twelve o'clock, midnight. I nodded and untied my self. This was always the most dangerous part, the walk back below deck. No life line and hardly any traction. I held on to the rail with my left hand and looped my right through the belt of the guy in front of me, as Rashaun did to me and the man behind did to him. We all had started doing this to make sure everyone got back safely. I nearly got a heart attack every time. Not for myself of course. I could just fly back up on deck, but the others, they would all be gone at the same time, and I didn't know how many I could carry.

"Whoa!" I looked back, someone had slipped. The guy in front of him was helping him back up. A chill went down my spine as I relaxed a bit. I got back to the hallway and collapsed against the wall with my head in my hands. All of my energy had been spent. I couldn't take another step.

"So you gonna sleep out here or you coming back to the room?" I looked up through my fingers at Rashaun.

"I'll just sleep here." I said leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

"C'mon show some will power!"

He had to say will power... I groaned and stood, "Ya' know, sometimes I hate you!" I said looking up at the giant.

We got back to the crew's quarters and slumped into our respective hammocks, mine just above his. I just relaxed and was about to drift off into sleep when my ring flashed green. _'Oh not now!'_ I thought.

"Turn your watch off bro..." Rashaun said sleepily.

"Huh," I sighed. My ring needed to be charged... which meant waiting up until everyone was either asleep or on deck and sneaking off to the bathroom, or head (it was a ship).

It took almost an hour but I finally heard everyone snoring. I put my energy suit over my clothes, along with my mask, with a thought and floated up and out my hammock. I tip-toed over to my bag in the corner and pulled out the other item that came with the ring, a lantern. An actual, literal green lantern. I got to the head and just as I thought, it was empty. I stepped in and looked around. I t was just one small room with toilets along the left wall and sinks along the back, there was a separate area in the back for showers, hidden by a wall. I stepped in and placed the lantern in the center of the room. I extended my right fist to the center of it, and said the oath in a hushed voice.

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let all who worship evil's might, beware my power. Green Lantern's light!" I always feel like a bad ass when I say that last line! There was a huge adrenaline rush as energy flowed from the lantern into my ring and then into my body.

I quickly returned the lantern to my bag and floated back into bed. Grateful that I still had about six hours to sleep.

* * *

It had been three days and the storm hadn't thinned a bit. A few of the bigger and stronger crew like me and Rashaun had to pull double shifts. But I didn't know how much more the ship could take. The storm seemed to be getting worse by the moment. The waves got so big that yesterday I saw lightning strike not thirty feet from the bow. It was only a matter of time before the ship got hit. Rashaun and I were on the bridge with the captain. He had taken the wheel personally an hour ago and was now sweating like a pig. Rashaun and I became like the representatives of the crew. They said that it was because of our people skills but I thought I was really just because we intimidated him.

I stood holding onto the rail and trying to keep my footing as we went over another wave. I saw two a worker standing on a few stacked up shipping containers. _'Get down'_ I silently willed him off of the container. _'You can't hold on strong enough to outlast this wave! Get down!' _I looked over at Rashaun. By the look on his face he was thinking the same thing. _'GET DOWN!' _And by the grace of god he started to climb down a ladder. I heard Rashaun let out a breath. But he was too late.

The wave broke pushing the ship hard to the right and flooding the front of the ship.

"No!" Both Rashaun and I yelled at the same time. I watched as he fell two stories to the deck. But that wasn't the worst part. The shipping container that he was on looked to be falling over right on top of him!

Without even a word Rashaun and I ran out into the rain and right towards the man to help. We didn't know him. He didn't know us. It didn't matter. He needed help.

"I'll get the guy, you secure the container!" Rashaun shouted as we ran.

"On it!" I yelled jumping onto a ladder. I went up the ladder three rungs at a time, half climbing half flying. I got to the top and sprinted down the top of the containers at full speed, skidding to a halt at the one that was about to fall. When I got there I gulped. It was far worse than first glance would entail.

The metal locks that would normally hold the containers together were working too well. The metal had fused together and now was pulling the others down with the first. I wasn't sure there was anything I could do. But I was the only one here...

As the ship rode up another wave I reached and grabbed the cable attaching the containers together and pulled, trying to pull the falling one back into place. I was starting to make progress, and praying that the rope held when I was struck by lightning.

All I saw was a great blue light all around me. Every muscle on my body constricted. My teeth clenched so hard I tasted blood. My head buzzed so much it felt like had turned into an old TV with very bad reception. Everything around me exploded and my clothes set on fire, even my beard!

I freaked and ripped off my coat and shirt, exposing my bare chest, and threw them. How was I alive? I didn't have time to think about it because my shirt landed on the ropes, igniting them!

The containers creaked and the ropes cracked as they snapped from the pressure. I looked down and saw Rashaun helping the guy up, he seemed to have a broken leg,but they wouldn't make it in time. I didn't have time to think. But I had time to act.

I jumped off the three story high stack of shipping containers just as the broken one started to fall. I pulled my arms in close and fell much faster than the bulky container. I put on my Green Lantern suit in mid air and landed on my feet. I literally hit the ground running and stood just over the two men. I looked up just as the container hit me. I lifted up my arms and caught it. It was heavy but I had it. I didn't have time to think as the one under it fell right on top of it, knocking me down on one knee.

I was face to face with the man who fell off of the metal box. He looked terrified, but he'd be crazy not to be. I heard the creaking of metal pulling metal and looked to see all of the other containers on the top row falling together. At the end of the pathway between the two stacks of metal crates were six or seven other workers who no doubt came to help the fallen man.

_'NO!' _I thought_. _I had my hands full with the two of these! I remembered back to five years ago. _'I don't blame Batgirl, heroes had to make these kind of decisions all of the time.'_

"But not this time!" I said. I mustered all of my energy and flew up into the air ten feet. I used all of my might to push on the containers above my head with my left hand, while aiming my fist at the other workers. My neck strained in effort. I closed my eyes. _'Focus!'_ I pictured what I wanted to happen in my mind. I could feel the energy in my body concentrating in my ring. I opened my eyes and a green beam of light extended out of my ring taking the shape of a giant hand and caught all of the containers.

The workers stared at me in wonder for a moment. "RUN!" I shouted, snapping them out of their trance. They all ran as fast as they could. As soon as they were clear I let the containers drop. Then I threw the containers I was holding over away from Rashaun and the man. Then I gently floated down and landed.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

Rashaun was just staring at me. "Ryan?" He asked dumbfounded.

I gasped. He must have seen the whole thing. I panicked. I flew away.

"Ryan, wait!" I heard Rashaun call out at me. I flew down blow decks and into the crew's quarters. I grabbed my bag and flew out, much tot the surprise of everyone inside. Before I realized what had happened, I was gone.

_"We are within flight distance of Qurac. Charting coarse." _The ring's copy of my voice said in my head. _"ETA: Five hours." _Suddenly I knew exactly where to go.

_'Oh great time to think.'_ I thought. And thought. And thought.

And I thought, _'I'm sorry Rashaun. But now that you know my secret, you'd be in danger... Everyone I care about only ends up getting hurt. Maybe the chick who grabbed you was doing you a favor Jack...'_

And with that I was off to Qurac.

* * *

AN: OK here's part two! Just one more part and then we'll be in the actual story line of the show. Once again, don't be afraid to leave a comment. I'm a big boy! I can take it! And thank you for reading.


	3. Chapter 3: The Team

AN: OK so here we meet the Team! The POV is going to change a bit but it'll be rather obvious. And one change from the original show, Black Canary is now 34 instead of 29. The "why" will become obvious later. And just a reminder, I'm using a character from Imaginationgonewild92 named Blade. If you wanna see her back story check out her page. Once again hope you like.

* * *

I arrived in Qurac at a couple of minutes before sunrise. I dropped down in the middle of the desert just outside a small town. I "turned off" my suit and looked at myself. All I had on was a pair of smoldering pants and one smoking boot, my other must've been blown off in the accident. I took off my bag and opened it. I had some normal teenager clothes. A black t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, a grey hoodie, and a pair of black sneakers. Also in the bag was a half eaten bag of beef jerky and a water bottle.

I took out the water and poured some over the back of my neck and head. It felt good. Cool and refreshing. I quickly changed and headed into town, leaving the torn pants and destroyed boot in the sand.

I arrived in the town as the sun just peaked over the horizon. I watched it rise high in the sky, in between two buildings. It turned the sky the most delicate shades of pink and orange. It was amazingly beautiful. I smiled to myself. I guess some people would consider it romantic, but I didn't have time for such things. Not to mention that any girl I got involved with would instantly be put in immense danger. I couldn't do that to a poor girl.

I walked around town doing almost nothing for most of the day. The place was small, and looked like a mixture of old and new buildings. In order for my plan to work, I had to first be seen and seen as a run-away. I mostly stuck to alleyways and stayed just out of out of sight.

It rolled around eleven before I was finally kidnapped.

I was digging in a dumpster out behind a restaurant, more for looks then looking food. Someone had grabbed my shoulder. _'Finally' _I thought. I had to put up a fight to make it look good though. I turned and punched the soldier in the stomach and pretended to look surprised by the mans's infrared goggles and black uniform. He grabbed my arm and someone behind me shoved a cloth in my face. A big blue claw held the cloth and a strange chill came over me as my eyelids got heavy.

I heard an adolescent voice say, "Don't you guys ever learn?" And with that everything went black.

* * *

I woke up with a bad headache and the sickly-sweet taste of too much honey in my mouth. I cracked my eye open a bit and saw that I was in a pod of some sort. There was a red screen in front of my face, making everything look a strange shade of crimson. There were six people in front of me, including the woman who grabbed Jack, the guy who must've grabbed me and... Batgirl?! She was wearing a different costume, but I was sure it was her. She was being dragged by the ugliest thing I had ever seen.

"Are you serious?" Asked the guy that grabbed me, he looked like he was made of ice! "The rest of these kids are run-aways, strays! They won't be missed. But a bat-brat?"

A man who seemed too fond of hair cuts walked up to him and said, "Batman himself is out of the picture. And if anyone else misses her, Simon says he just doesn't care." _'What did these guys do to Batman?'_

The woman who grabbed Jack threw an arm around Simon, as the monster put Batgirl in the pod to my immediate right, and said, "Simon! I like the way that pretty brain of your's thinks!"

"Thank you Devastation." _'Ew... just ew.' _"Now help Mammoth load the cargo, bat-brat included, onto the plane." He turned to another woman standing by and said, "Shimmer prepare for take-off and go up stairs and confirm the flight plan. I want this bird in the air in ten." Just then I realized that there was a cargo plane behind him. We were in a hangar! Devastation grabbed Batgirl's pod and lifted her with ease over her head. Just then I saw some bug or something flying by my pod, but I didn't get a chance at a good look because the Mammoth guy walked over. He looked at the screen on my pod then pressed a button.

_'Oh crap! Time to suit up before... before... befo-'_

I felt my head hit the glass and then everything went black, again!

* * *

"Hey Cassie!" Ma'gann called my name. I looked up at her in the pilot's chair of the bio-ship. "Start letting the kids out of their pods would ya'? And be careful what you say, they'll be scared and confused."

"OK." I replied, a little unsure of what I was going say to them.

"I'll help you Cass." Blade said. I gave her grateful look. Blade always seemed to be there for me. She was like my big sister almost.

We walked to the back of the ship and to the last pod, her on the left side and me on the right on the right. I tared at the pod. _'How do you get this thing open? _I thought.

Blade looked over at me and smiled. She walked over to me and pointed to a button, "Just push this one." She said. "And if you don't know what to say just say, 'it's OK, you're safe now, just walk over to her'," she pointed at her chest, "'and she'll explain.'" She smiled at me, "Just stay whelmed." she said using her boyfriend's favorite word.

I smiled back at her. She was a born leader, being the daughter of Batman and all. I got all worked up too fast to do what she does. I looked at the pod, the first one. It was a girl. I took a breath and pressed the button to open the machine. It took a moment but she stirred and looked around.

"Wha-What's going on? Where am I?" she asked starting to panic a bit.

"It's OK, you're safe now. Just walk over to her," I pointed towards Blade, "and she'll explain."

The girl looked at me, then Blade, then back to me and nodded. She shakily got out of the pod and walked over to Blade. They talked for a moment, but then Blade smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up.

_'One down'_ I looked down the isle, there were about five more.

"It's OK, you're safe now. Just walk over to her and she'll explain."

"Oh, OK..." The boy said walking towards Blade. She seemed to have her hands full with pretty much all of the kids.

_'Last one!'_ I pushed the button and said, "Don't worry, you're safe no-oooooff!" I was interrupted by a giant body slamming into my chest. The guy had been leaning against the door!

I heard a chuckle behind me. I looked and saw Karen behind me with her hand over her mouth. 'Help me!' I mouthed. She just smiled and turned away. HUH! I looked at the boy in my arms. His head had fallen on my shoulder so I got a good look at his face. He was kinda cute. Actually, he was really cute. He wasn't skinny, more along the lines of toned, and muscled. He had dirty blonde hair that was cropped close to his head and spiked up in the front. His nose was a little big, but it fit his face well. His jaw was just widening with his age but still had a touch of playfulness to it. His lips were a bright pink and were framed by the beginnings of what would become laugh lines. He opened his eyes and I gasped. They were beautiful. A bluish-grey with green and brown and so many different colors they could look like any in the right light. After a moment I realized I was staring at him.

"Eep!" I squealed, dropping him. He hit the floor face first with a hard _thud!_

"Oops..." I said, hearing Bee burst out laughing behind me.

* * *

I could've sworn I was dead until the angelic girl dropped me. I fell out of the pod and landed on her. _'Oh that's smooth!'_ And then I just stared at her for a moment. She was gorgeous! She had long flowing golden hair that was pulled away from her face with a black headband, and crystal blue eyes that sparkled when she looked into the light. She had on a pair of star earrings. I might have actually liked her if she hadn't dropped me on the floor.

"Ow! Well you'll be happy to learn that your floors are _**very**_ solid." I called up at her.

"Oops..." she said, "Sorry."

I stood up, "Yeah! Oops! Why did you drop me?" I yelled rubbing my nose.

She gave me a look like she was gonna get me an ice pack, then sell my head on the black market. And something in me told me she might.

"Look I said sorry! What more do you want?"

A crowd of people had started to surround us, all teenagers for some reason, but I didn't care and I didn't think she did either.

"Why were you staring at me?" I asked quizzically, selectively leaving out the part that I was also staring at her.

"Uh... I..." She seemed to notice just how big the crowd was at that point. _'Or not.'_

I stared across the room at Batgirl, she had been talking to a kid but had looked up hearing the commotion. She had two katana, Japanese swords, strapped to her back. And she seemed very interested in my hand. My right hand. My middle finger on my right hand.

Every instinct I had was telling me to book it, but something stopped me. I didn't know what. By all means I should've already been gone. I felt something nagging in the back of my mind, then suddenly my head erupted in pain. I fell to my knees. The girl who I was arguing with gasped. It felt like someone was inside my head, trying to... turn me off... But I would not go down easy. I stood back up and put my hands on the sides of my head.

"AHHHHHH!" I cried. I would win. I had to win. I would win!

But I didn't. "_J-Jack?" _I croaked. I collapsed to my knees and fell on my face. For the second time that day. And everything went black. **FOR THE SECOND TIME THAT DAY!**

* * *

I stared at his unconscious body incredibly confused. He just went nuts.

_'Ma'gann, what happened?' _I heard Blade's voice over the psychic link.

_'I don't know. I just tried to put him to sleep but he fought back, hard. He shouldn't have even known I was there at all.' _Ma'gann responded.

_'Why did you do that at all?' _I asked.

_'What do you mean?'_ Blade said, _'Weren't you listening?'_

_'She was too busy with blonde-y.' _Karen said.

_'Didn't you see his ring?' _Blade asked.

I looked at his hand and gasped.

_'Is that?' _I asked.

_'We don't know but if it's real, we couldn't risk a fight. Especially with all of the kids here.' _Blade said.

_'Uh right. But did you have knock him out?' _I asked.

_'Cassie, you haven't seen a Green Lantern fight.' _Ma'gann said, _'they are practically unstoppable. And factor in the fact that we don't know what he can do...'_

_'Yeah, yeah, I got it.' _I said, _'too big of a risk.'_

We interrogated the kids and dropped them all of where they asked to be and headed back to Mount Justice.

"Simon planted mental suggestions in the minds of his doctors and nurses." Nightwing told us, "They've been tending to an empty hospital bed for months. I'm sorry."

"It had to happen eventually." Ma'gann said.

"So, no sign of any alien tech?" Nightwing asked.

"None," Karen said, "Though what we found was strange enough."

"It was clear in Shimmer's mind that Queen Bee was acting as a middle man, delivering abducted humans to an unknown... partner." Ma'gann said.

"We questioned all of the abduct-ies, most were run-aways. All were captured after the destruction of Melina Island and the Kroloteans." Batgirl explained.

"So if the Bealians weren't capturing humans for the Kroloteans, then who is this partner?" Nightwing asked, getting visibly annoyed.

"Huh," I sighed, "Another unanswered question!"

Blade smiled at me, "New questions keep the investigation moving forward. You saved lives, and you got each other home safe. That's a successful mission in my book!" She always knew just what to say.

"Good work alpha." Nightwing congratulated us.

Batgirl grabbed me and pulled me close. The others smiled at me.

"But," Blade said, turning to Nightwing, "that wasn't all we found."

* * *

I explained to Dick about what we had found, about the boy that Cassie had found. Karen, Ma'gann, Cassie and Barbra had gone to get him. It really only took one or two people, but I needed to talk to Dick.

"We're not sure if it's real, but I checked his bag and he has a lantern to go with it." I told him, "Dick... if it turns out he's just an ordinary kid with a toy... what if we were too hard on-"

Dick cut me off with a hand on my shoulder. "Alex," he said in that wonderfully deep voice, "you did the right thing. If he went hostile with all those kids in that ship, it would be a disaster! Heavy on the 'dis'."

The girls walked back in the room, along with Garfield and Conner. Ma'gann levitated the boy over to the couch. He was so tall he took up the whole thing. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had seen him before...

"OK, Ma'gann wake him up. And everyone stand ready." Dick said.

Ma'gann's eyes eyes glowed and he jolted up ward.

* * *

I woke up and my instincts went crazy! I was surrounded by a bunch of people, none of whom I knew. I instantly put my suit on and flew straight up.

"Well, I guess it's real!" shouted one of them. Wait, was that a green monkey?

_'Irrelevant' _I thought, _'Time to make my escape'_

I tried to fly up and out but there was a ceiling. It looked like we were underground.

"Calm down!" another of them yelled. He had on a black combat suit with a blue bird on the chest.

"Sorry," I yelled back, "but I tend to get annoyed when people **KNOCK ME OUT COLD!**"

"Oh yeah by the way he's got a bit of a mouth on him." said Batgirl.

"Yeah," I said stalling for time as I looked for an exit, "that's how faces work." I spotted some stairs. Stairs meant up. Up meant out. "Well I'd love to stay and chat but I'm afraid I left the water running!"

I flew as fast as I could towards the stairs. Unfortunately for me there was someone walking down them. He looked like he was half fish! We collided and fell to the ground.

"Neptune's beard!" He yelled, "Watch were you're-" I cut him off mid-sentence by throwing him at the... floating green chick?! Could this place get any weirder?

Suddenly one of the guys, a big guy with a superman shirt on, jumped fifteen feet in the air, launching himself at me.

_'Obviously it can...'_ I hit him in mid air and he latched on to my back.

"Hey!" I complained, "Rides are ten bucks!" I tried to shake him off but he held on tight. I flew into the wall, smashing him against the rock.

"Ah!" He cried.

"This bronco knows how to buck!" I shouted slamming him back into the wall. I felt his grip loosen and I grabbed his arm and hurled him into the ground, just to be punched into the ceiling by Ms Clumsy Angel.

Man she hit hard! "My father taught me not to fight girls..." I said.

She grabbed my foot and threw me onto the ground right by the supper-cowboy. "Good! Then this'll be easy!"

I got to my feet shakily. The fish guy charged me, although he had practically tripled in size. I pulled my fist back to uppercut him, but something ripped my ring off of my finger. It floated through the air and landed in the outreached hand of the green chick.

"Foul!" I yelled, "You cheated!" the fish dude shrunk back down and gave me a hard right cross.

"Lagoon boy that's enough!" The bird-guy called.

"That was for my angelfish." he said and walked away.

"'Cause that made perfect sense!" I shouted after him, rubbing my cheek.

"We don't want to hurt you." Called the bird-guy.

"Speak for yourself." Lagoon boy said, "Who is this clown anyway?"

"You kidnap me and don't even know who I am?" I asked, "You guys are bad at this."

"We didn't kidnap you." Batgirl said in a calming voice. That clenches it, she had the same voice as before. "We just want to talk." She smiled. "I'm Blade. And you are?"

So she changed her name huh, "Jimmy Neutron." I said sarcastically.

"Thomas Crane." The green chick said.

My eyes went wide. "How did-?"

"I read your mind," she said with a sly smile.

I glared.

"Look let's just talk," the bird-guy said, "Just you and me."

"And me." Batgirl said, "If you don't mind that is."

I shook my head, "Only if you give me back my ring, and bag." It felt weird having it off, almost like I was naked.

Bird boy nodded and the green girl opened her hand. I walked over and grabbed it, immediately putting it on my right ring finger. I noticed everyone tense up a bit, but I wasn't going to do anything. After I had my bag Blade and Nightwing, as he said his name was, lead me to a small room with a table and a few chairs, on the table was a half eaten chocolate cake on a display dish. I sat down on one side of the table and eyed it with wanting eyes. Blade saw me staring at it and walked over to a cupboard to my right. She pulled out a plate, a knife and a fork. She cut a piece and put it on the plate, then put the plate in front of me with a smile. I didn't return it. I was still skeptical about these people. She put the fork in front of me and went to the fridge. She pulled out the milk and started pouring a glass.

"So," Nightwing said, sitting across from me, "how old are you Thomas?"

"Forty two." I said, still not touching the cake.

"Huh," He sighed. "Can we agree to be truthful to each other Thomas?"

"Can we?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Ask us anything." Blade said setting the glass in front of me. She saw the uneaten cake. She swiped her finger along the top of the rest of the cake, covering it in frosting, and liked her finger. "Mmm I love chocolate!" she said.

I stared at the cake, I couldn't remember the last time I had cake. And it looked so good... I couldn't stand it. I looked up at the two. They were evil. I kinda liked them. I took a bite. It was amazing. Moist and chocolaty.

"Fourteen." I said through a mouth full. "I'm fourteen."

I ate the entire piece of cake in seconds flat then downed the whole glass of milk.

"And, call me Tommy." I finally smiled back at them.

* * *

"**Recognized: Black Canary**" The computer said as she stepped out of the zeta tube.

"So where's the kid?" She asked as she walked over to me and Dick.

"He's on the couch in the other room. He was pretty tired after the day he had." Dick explained.

"What are you planning to do about him?" she asked.

"Unfortunately with Hal, Guy and John all on Rimbor with the other Leaguers he'll probably be staying here." I said.

"Probably?" She asked.

"Well that's up to you." Dick said, "And also why we called you here. You see... we ran his blood in the system and..."

"Diane," I cut in, "He's your son."

* * *

AN: MUAHAHAHAHA! I am feeling so evil right now! But I honestly hoped that you liked. I'm sorry that this ones so late. With school starting up again I won't be able to post these as often but I'll still put them up as much as I can. And as always, thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4: The New Member

AN: OK so picking up right where I left off. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

I sat on the couch in between the super-cowboy, or Conner which was his real name, and Mr Monkey, or Gar. The TV was showing some news man who was really bad mouthing the JL. Man this was awkward. I mean not an hour ago I was fighting these guys.

"So..." I said trying to release some of the tension, "What is this place."

"This is Mount Justice." The green girl, Ma'gann, said floating over and sitting by Gar. "And our home. Oh and sorry about what happened on the ship. And uh, everything since."

"It's alright, you didn't know who I was. Sorry about... everything since..." I said.

"It's OK, _you_ didn't know who _we_ were." She smiled. These people seemed really nice. Or at least she and Blade were. "So it looks like you'll be staying here with us."

"Us?" I asked.

"We all live here." She said gesturing to the other two, "All the others went home."

"Oh," I said surprised. "You live here?"

"Yeah, inside Mount Justice. The entire mountain is hollow. Oh I have an idea! Gar, Conner let's give Tommy a tour!"

"OK sure." Gar said.

"Pass, I'm going to bed." Conner said as he left.

"I have a feeling he doesn't like me." I said.

"He'll warm up to you." Ma'gann said.

"He's just mad you kicked his butt!" Gar said.

I smiled, "Well let's get this tour started!"

"You might want to wait on that." Nightwing said.

I turned and saw him, Blade and another woman standing in the doorway. I recognized the new woman as Black Canary of the Justice League. She was staring at me like I had two heads, and one was made of chocolate.

"Ma'gann, Gar, we need to talk to you in the other room." Blade said. The four of them left leaving me and Black Canary alone.

"Tommy?" I looked at her.

She was rather attractive. Her hair was just a few shades lighter than mine. She had blue eyes, they looked kind of like mine. She was only a few inches taller than me but at the rate I had been growing over the past year I would soon overtake her.

"Tommy..." she repeated.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"NO!" She yelled then realized how loud she was, "no. Sorry it's just..."

Then she did the absolute last thing I would've thought. She _hugged _me. "I thought I'd never see you again."

I was so confused. "Have we met?"

She pulled away and looked at me. She looked hurt. I felt bad, I didn't want to hurt her feelings. "Sorry I just don't remember haven ever seen you before."

"Your father didn't tell you about me?"

"No. Should he have?"

"I should say so!" She said in a bit of a laugh. "Tommy, I'm your mother."

I backtracked so much I flipped over the couch.

"Tommy!"

I jumped up ignoring the fact that I just reacquainted myself with the floor. "My mother?!"

"Yes. You didn't know?"

"No I totally knew, cause this is my normal reaction to finding out things that I **ALREADY KNEW!**" I yelled the last two words. MY mind was livid. Why had Dad kept this from me? I thought of his last words. "Your mom's not..." _'Dead!' _I thought, _'He was going to say mom's not dead!'_

I looked at the woman in front of me with a whole new attitude. I looked at her eyes again. They weren't _like _my eyes, they _were_ my eyes. They looked exactly the same! The more I looked at her the more similarities I saw. The curve of her chin, the shape of her brow, the tilt of her chin. The only explanation was that she was telling the truth.

I sat down on the couch, put my head in my hands and leaned forward. "How did...? When did...? What hap-...? Why?" I looked at her.

She sat next to me and put a hand on my back. "I assume you mean 'why did I leave?'"

My eyes were filling up with tears. I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded.

"Well the truth is, I didn't leave. Your father did, and he took you with him. He and I had you when we were both young. Neither of us were ready for a child, me especially. I had just started the hero thing and he didn't like it. He said I was, 'Putting too much pressure on a young child.' That, 'If anything happened to me you would be devastated.' I just said that it came with the job. That I could manage. One day I had a very close call. Too close for your father. He told me that if I went out again then he wouldn't be there when I got back. I didn't think he was serious, let alone that he'd take you with him."

She looked at me, the pain evident on her face. "After your father left with you he sent me letters. Once a month with pictures of you... I have them all in a box in my apartment. But when they stopped coming five years ago, I just assumed he thought I no longer cared. I guess because I never wrote, but that wasn't because I didn't care. I just thought that... he wouldn't have given them to you. He wouldn't have given them to you."

"He told me you were dead." I said bluntly.

She didn't look too shocked. "I thought as much."

"Look, if you want... you could... come and stay with me. I mean I'll talk to Ollie about it, but I can't think of reason he wouldn't-"

"No." I said interrupting her. She looked very hurt. "Huh, I'm sorry, but this is too much to take in all at once. I need some time to think. Alone."

She averted her gaze from me. "OK. I understand." She said. "I think I should go." She got up to leave but I grabbed her hand and spun her around into a hug.

"Thank you... Mom..." She stood there for a moment in stunned silence. Then she hugged me back. And for a moment, I could almost pretend that we were just a normal family.

* * *

It was about a week later and I sat in my new room relaxing. I had met everyone on the team the day after I arrived. Everyone seemed rather nice and eager to meet me. Well except Ms Clumsy Angel. Cassie, which was her real name, seemed perfectly content to stay as far away from me as possible. But weirdly, I would randomly see her staring at me. But as soon as she saw me seeing her seeing me, she'd look away. Man I could not get a read on her! The strangest thing was, that I was thinking about this!

I shook my head and looked around the room. It was weird to have a home again after so long. It wasn't that big. There were bigger ones I could've chosen. But I liked this one. It was about the size of a decent sized apartment, with it's own bathroom. It was painted green, of course, and didn't have much furniture. Just the usual, a bed, a dresser, an end table, and a TV on a stand. It was pretty cool. The newest model.

My stomach grumbled. _'Lunch time!'_

I walked out into the kitchen and started making a sandwich. Ham and cheese. A classic! I put it on the counter and turned to get some chips. I turned back around and there was a kid siting on the counter eating my sandwich. He was short and was wearing red and white spandex. Now, I don't know if you've ever stolen food from a fourteen year old boy but it's not that smart. "Hey! You're Tommy Crane Right? Youngest Green Lantern in history! You're so crash! So do you know where Blue Beetle is? Great sandwich though." He said at a million miles an hour.

In an instant my suit was on me. "I don't know who you are. I don't know how you got her. I don't know why you're here. And I honestly don't care. You touched my food. **NOW YOU DIE!**" I reached forward and tried to grab him but in the blink of an eye he was gone.

"Ha! You gotta catch me first!" Said a voice behind me. I spun around to punch him but he was gone again. "Too slow!" He said, once again behind me. I spun to hit him again but he sped off down the hall. I flew after him just to get hit in the face by Robin's electrified staff. My head buzzed and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I collapsed to the floor.

"Oh, sorry!" Robin said.

I sat up and said, "Why am I always getting electrocuted?"

We rushed down the hallway and saw that Blade and Nightwing had captured him. Of course, the perfect couple took him down.

"You're a tourist, from the future?" Robin asked as Nightwing left to get something. He, Blade, Beast boy and I were interrogating the intruder. Well they interrogated, I tried not to throttle him for eating my sandwich.

"Why so surprised?" "Impulse" said, "Half the meat at comi-con are from my era." I didn't believe him. And it didn't look like I was alone. "Look, look, look, guys! We should all be friends! I'm really one of you! Part of the heroic legacy right? My name's Bart Allen, grandson of Barry Allen. The Flash!"

"Noted," Gar said, "not believed. But noted."

"What's not to believe? I've clearly got Flash's speed, and his amazing good looks. Frankly I can't wait to meet him! Uh you know, back when he was in his prime."

Just then Nightwing walked back in with... a glass of water? "Well, Bart, coming all the way from the future you must have worked up quite the thirst." Oh great so now he can wash down my sandwich!

"Thanks!" He said drinking, "Oh, ah. You're trying to get a DNA sample! You need my spit." He actually spit in the cup, "Ha that's such a Dick Grayson thing to do!"

Wait what? Did he just say...

"How did...?" Blade asked.

"See? I know stuff only a future boy would know!" He looked us each in turn reading off our names. "Dick Grayson, Tommy Crane, Tim Drake, Alex Grayson-Wayne, Garfield Logan."

"You're name's Tim?" Gar asked Robin, "And your's Dick?"

"Grayson-Wayne?" Blade asked stunned.

"Oops! Spoilers. This secret identity thing's so can call me Impulse! Or Bart. Or Bart Allen. Or Bart 'Impulse' Allen. It's all crash!"

"Is it possible that he might actually be telling the truth?" "Tim" asked. "Could he really be from the future?"

"Tell us something we don't know, yet." Gar said stepping up to him, "When do I become leader of the Team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality series?"  
"Sorry BB never was the best history student. Besides I can't risk altering the time stream. I do that and we're all feeling the mode!"

"And the mode... would be bad?"

"Doesn't get any worse! Always better to crash the mode."

"Uh, noted?" I felt sorry for the little dude. I could almost see the smoke coming out of his ears.

"I have a question." I said stepping forward, "Tell me "Impulse", are there sandwiches in the future?"

"Uh doi! Why wouldn't there be?"

"Then why didn't you **BRING ONE BACK WITH YOU?!**" I yelled. Blade grabbed me and pulled me back before I tore his head off.

Just then the computer called out: "**RECOGNIZED MALCOLM DUNCAN A 10"**

"Sounds like a door opening up. And that's my que!" Impulse's arm's and legs started vibrating and the handcuffs that were keeping him held down fell through his body. "Buh bye!" And he was gone.

"He so owes me another sandwich!" I said staring at the door.

"Don't worry he won't get away. The peregrine falcon is the world's fastest bird!" BB said as he transformed into a bird and flew after him.

"He doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell, does he?" I asked.

"Nope, Impulse is just too fast." "Dick" said as he pulled up the computer. "At least we can track him."

"You planted a tracer? It'll fall off at his speed." Tim said.

"It won't. He drank it!" Dick said.

"Subcutaneous micro-tracker in the water!" Alex said. "Nice."

I turned away from them and smiled to myself. This place was gonna be fun!

* * *

AN: OK so sort of a short one but I needed to get it out so here ya go! And as always, thank you for reading.


	5. Chapter 5: The Falure

AN: This one's coming out a day late. Sorry but the outernet got in the way! Why does that place even exist?

* * *

I woke up to the sound of my alarm buzzing more than a beehive in a running tractor. I turned it off and sat up in bed. I checked the time. Holy crap it was two in the afternoon! I had slept half the day!

I thought to myself for a moment. _'Day well spent.' _

I got out of bed and threw on a pair of pants. I walked out of my room and into the kitchen looking in the fridge for something to eat. I grabbed the milk carton and drank right out of it.

"Um, I hope you're going to drink the rest of that." I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned around and saw Ma'gann, Karen, Cassie, Batgirl and Blade sitting at the table. I was suddenly very aware of the fact that I wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Uhh..." I said completely forgetting the comment.

"The milk." Ma'gann said with a frown. All the other girls looked a mixture of annoyed and entertained. All except Cassie who had turned her head and appeared to be practicing her impersonation of a tomato.

I stared at the jug. There was about half a gallon left. I smiled. _'Challenge accepted!'_

I put the jug to my lips and turned it up-side-down. In a matter of seconds the jug was empty. I smiled at the girls triumphantly.

The all clapped, even Cassie! Why did I care? Never mind, I didn't. "Great! Now we're out of milk." Ma'gann said. My smile vanished.

"But I just-!" I complained.

"And I was so hoping to bake some crab cakes later. For La'gaan" Ma'gann said, giving me a bit of a pout.

"I... I just... OH! FINE!" I said and turned to go grab a shirt.

"There's a grocery list and some money in a jar on the coffee table!" I heard her call over a cacophony of laughter.

* * *

"...but I really don't feel like going to the store today..." Ma'gann was cut off as Tommy lumbered into the kitchen. He wasn't wearing a shirt so his muscular chest and abs was exposed. He wasn't like, buff but he defiantly wasn't skinny either. He looked to be just recovering from slight nourishment. I realized that he actually might be. If looked a little hard I could still see his ribs. I frowned thinking about it. I knew nothing about his past. He was a complete mystery. I tried to tell myself that that was why I couldn't get him out of my head. He looked at me and I noticed that I was staring. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling heat rush to my cheeks.

Suddenly he started shotgunning the gallon of milk he was holding until it was empty! Whoa. I noticed the others clapping and I joined in. It was actually kinda impressive. But then he stormed off.

"What was that about?" I asked. The girls stared at me. "What?"

"Girl! You got it bad!" Karen said.

"Got what?" I asked confused.

"First on the bio-ship and now this." Blade said.

"What?" I was starting to get annoyed.

"You've got a thing for Blonde-y." Karen said.

I was taken aback. "No I don't!" I could feel my cheeks betraying me.

"Oh really?" Batgirl said raising her eyebrow. "We all saw you staring at him!"

I felt like my head was going to explode. I could feel my heart pounding in my... everything.

I put my head on the table. Could this get any worse?

* * *

**"Recognized: Green Lantern B-23"** The computer called as I road in the front entrance on a grocery cart made of green energy. I rolled in and heard "All three of them are gonna end up our responsibility aren't they?"

I looked up and saw Mal, Nightwing and Blade talking, three pictures were on the computer. One of Impulse, one of a kid with short red hair and one arm, and one of me.

"Not necessarily." Nightwing said, "Bart, Impulse is staying with Jay and Joan Garrick in Central City. Roy, the original Speedy, is recuperating in Royal Memorial Hospital in Star City. Arrows green and red are watching over him. As for Tommy, I don't even think he knows what he's doing."

"That's a yes," Blade said turning to Mal.

"Hey!" I yelled and walked up, floating the bags behind me, "I don't care how true it is, at least make sure I'm not in the room when you talk about me."

"Doesn't everything?" Conner asked to my left, "I mean where are we on identifying the Light's new partner?"

"Huh," Nightwing sighed, "No progress."

Ma'gann and La'gaan walked in with a plate of crab cakes floating in front of them. _'Glad to see that me going to the store was completely pointless.'_ Ma'gann giggled and said, "La'gaan, don't eat so fast!"

"I can't help it Angelfish!" He said through a mouthful of crab. "The idea of cooking crabs is amazing enough. But making them into little cakes?!"

"You're gonna choke!" She laughed.

"If only..." I hear Conner whisper behind me. I remember Gar telling me about how Conner and Ma'gann used to be a couple.

"Here, let me." Ma'gann started feeding La'gaan. _'Wow, that's harsh Ma'gann.' _I didn't know what had happened between her and Conner but no man deserved that.

And La'gaan had to make it worse, "If that's not true love, I don't know what is," he looked directly at Conner, "Chum."

"Call me when it's time for the briefing..." Conner said storming off, but before he could get far the computer called out, "**Recognized: Artemis B-07**"

"Time for the briefing." Nightwing said.

"Artemis!" Blade and Ma'gann called in unison. They nearly tackled her back into the zeta-tube.

"Hi, Blade! Ma'gann! It's so good to see you!" Artemis replied

"How's Wally?" Ma'gann asked.

"He's... Wally." Artemis said hesitantly and the three girls laughed.

"Welcome back girl!" Mal said.

"Hey Mal."

"So missed you around here!" Conner said.

"Conner!" She looked at me, "And you must be Tommy."

"Sup," I said, "it's good to finally meet you."

"Likewise."

La'gaan walked up behind Ma'gann and put a hand on her shoulder. "I relish this opportunity to finally fight beside you archer!" I face-palmed. _'Smooth!'_

"Um... Thanks, La'gaan." It sounded like more of a question.

"OK gamma squad, listen up!" Nightwing getting straight to business as always. "The mission is Cape Canaveral. Covert op to safe guard the first Earth-Mars Comsat. There are people out there who don't even like the idea of aliens and will do anything to screw up this launch."

Ma'gann looked deflated at that. Sometimes it was hard remember that she's a Martian herself.

"But that's why I came back, because not all of us feel that way." Artemis said to reassure her.

"So why are you going?" Mal asked Nightwing.

"Let's just say that after running this team for a year, I'm peckish for a little action." I figured the fact that this was my first mission might have had something to do with it to...

* * *

I floated in mid air above a press conference that the League was supposedly holding. Martian Manhunter, which was really just Ma'gann shape shifted into her uncle, was talking to a few news reporters. Superboy and I were flying above them dressed as Superman and Hal Jordan, one of the League's Green Lanterns. Ma'gann was levitating Superboy to fake flight and I had changed my suit into Hal's, and used some weird gel that turned my hair brown. It felt weird. Impersonating another Green Lantern. Superboy hated being in a "monkey suit" but that was different. At least he had met Superman. I hadn't met any of the three of the Green Lanterns from earth. They were all on another planet dealing with some "inter-galactic issues", Nightwing's words, along with another seven Leaguers. That's why we were here. So as to not let the League's enemies know how short handed we were. I should've been excited about my first real mission, but I couldn't shake this uneasy something really bad was going to happen.

"Yes Miss- Godfrey?" I heard the announcer say. I looked down to see a man with a freshly pressed suit and tie standing at the front of the crowd. I instantly hated him.

"Miss Ferris, maybe I'm the only one not drinking the space-cola, but has anyone asked whether earth _wants _more communication with aliens?" He asked in a very annoying British accent.

"Our galaxy contains billions of stars, yet Earth and Mars are warmed by the same sun. The Martians aren't aliens they're our next door neighbors. Isn't it time we got to know them?"

"So that's your plan? Barrow a cup of Martian sugar. While our world is bring invaded!"

"If I ma." Ma'gann spoke up as Martian Manhunter, "All the more reason both worlds need to stand together. This satellite represents a new spirit of cooperation between sister planets. The beginning of alliance that can protect us all."

"Thank you, Martian Manhunter." Miss Ferris said, once again taking the podium. "On behalf of Ferris Aircraft and the Earth-Mars Communication Initiative, we couldn't agree more." Ma'gann flew up to meet us and we turned to leave. But someone wasn't satisfied. Give ya' three guesses.

"That's it?" Godfrey asked, "No more questions for the mighty Manhunter? Tell old G. Gordon that name doesn't sound ominous to any decent Earthling! And did you notice that the Kryptonian and the Lantern aren't not taking any questions _at all?_"

_'Oh go suck a steaming sock Gordon!'_

"We're out of sight," Ma'gann said, changing back to her regular self. I switched back to my usual suit, grateful that I don't have to have those tights all the time. Well not on my legs. My shirt was still pretty tight.

"Good." Conner said, "Let's get to the bio-ship. I don't like you levitating me to fake the power of flight."

"Huh, you're welcome!" Ma'gann said.

_'Oh great they're fighting again.' _I tuned them out, as I was sure they had done to me, and focused on messing up my hair. It took real concentration to master the art of spiked hair.

A hole appeared in the sky and we floated in, landing the bio-ship. We were on our way to the rendezvous point when I heard Nightwing call over the radio.

"Miss M link us up."

_"Link established,"_ Ma'gann's voice said in my head. It still felt weird.

_"Good, begin aerial sweep of the Cape's perimeter." _Nightwing... _thought_ I guess.

_"Hey boss, I'd be happy to join my Angelfish on that assignment." _La'gaan said.

_"Negative Lagoon Boy. You're right were I need you, giving me maximum coverage in the water, on the land and in the air in case there's any attempt at sabotage."_ Nightwing almost sounded tired.

Ma'gann and Conner kept giving each other fleeting looks like they wanted to talk, but about something they didn't want me to hear.

"I'll go and check the rebreathers..." I said walking into the back.

I didn't even know what a rebreather looked like, let alone where to look. I stood in back and looked around. There was nowhere where they could be, but by the sound of Conner and Ma'gann from the other room, this one was much preferable. I sat against the wall for a moment. I had time to think, the most evil thing in the world. I thought about the last time I was here. About how I got here. About... Jack. He wasn't one of the kids rescued by the Team. So where was he? Was he OK? Was he thinking about me? Was he even... No. I couldn't think like that. He was fine. And I was still going to find him.

_'Head's up minnows, we've got bad guys. Black Manta's troopers." _La'gaan's voice speaks in my head, jarring me from my train of thought. _"Working some kind of platform beneath the surface just offshore. I'm taking them down!"_

_"Belay that!." _Nightwing said. _"Wait for backup."_

_"I'll scrounge a rebreather from the cargo hold and help the rookie out." _Superboy adds. Were they listening to me at all?

_"Rookie?! Neptune's beard! I don't need help from the Boy of Steel!" _Well he sounded just peachy!

_"Lagoon Boy, stand down." _Nightwing ordered.

_"Sorry you're breaking up! Chrrr chrrrttt!" _Lagoon Boy, why?

_"There's no static over the psychic link!" _Nightwing practically yelled in my ear... er head.

Superboy walked back and looked at me. "Where are the rebreathers?" he asked helping me to my feet.

"I didn't see any. But... I didn't know were to check."

He sighed and walked over to the wall and put his had on it. A panel opened up revealing a ladder. We climbed down to an empty room. This ship was like something straight out of Doctor Who, it seemed bigger on the inside!

"Huh nothing!" Conner said throwing up his hands up.

We got got back to the bridge and I heard Nightwing say, _"Superboy, you get that rebreather?"_

_"Negative. La'gaan didn't restock!" _He replied angrily.

_"Then take the helm. Miss Martian, gill up and help Lagoon Boy. Superboy, Green we need cover fire down here."_

_"Acknowledged. Bio-ship reconfigured for manual flight." _Ma'gann chimed in.

Conner sat in the captain's chair and Ma'gann walked up next to me. Her cape shortened and gills appeared on her neck. A hole opened up and she dropped through.

"Geronimo." I said and dived through after her.

I caught myself before I hit the water and flew up. I looked around. To my right was the beach which was covered in soldiers. I flew towards the beach and tried to suppress the thrill that was rising in my gut, unsuccessfully. I hit the beach and smashed through a few soldiers as Nightwing and Artemis jumped over the blast wall for the rocket. I punched another soldier and felt something sting on my back and I turned to see a man holding a smoking gun. I shoved out my fist and a small energy fist shot out and hit him in the head. That's when it actually clicked for me. These people were trying to kill me. Not hurt me. KILL ME! I froze in mid air in shock. Until this moment I had never been shot.

_'Green get your head in the game! I need help with these missiles!" _I hear Superboy and shake myself back. I dodge a few blasts and punch another soldier before flying straight up and punching a missile. It explodes on me sending me flying. I feel the heat on my face and smell singed hair, but I'm so filled with adrenaline that I can't feel the pain. I see another missile. This one I smash with two giant hands. the next I throw into another. It seems all I can do is hands at this point. It's going well until I hear Ma'gann say, _"They've taken La'gaan! I'm going after him!"_

_"The priority is the missiles," _Superboy informs her,_ "There are too many!"_

_"We can't keep up!" _I say as I blow another.

That's when I saw him. The others had told me about Kaldur. Aqualad, the traitor. He was attacking Nightwing and Artemis. I didn't see any other missiles so I flew down to help. Kaldur shot something at the rocket as it was taking off but Artemis shot it out of the sky.

_'Yes! We've won!' _I thought. But as I processed the thought Kaldur had knocked Nightwing to the side and charged Artemis. He said something to her and she stumbled back. Nightwing caught her and she collapsed. I was about to charge to them when I felt the intense heat of an explosion. I looked back and the satellite was gone, consumed by a fiery inferno. Then the boom hit me. It was deafening. The great roar of a malicious god who had just won a battle.

I turn back to the beach and drop to the ground. Nightwing was giving Artemis CPR.

_'No! No! No!' _That was my only thought.

"I don't hear her heart beat." Conner says next to me. I didn't even know he was there, or Ma'gann who stood next to him.

Nightwing looked away. "She's dead..." He said.

"No..." My voice a mere whisper. I crumple to my hands and knees. A sob shakes my chest violently threatening to tare me apart. I feel hot, wet tears on my cheeks. They're mine. They fall and land on the sand in between my hands. I feel a hand on my shoulder. Ma'gann. She must be grieving even more than me and _she_ was comforting _me_. A part of me is disgusted at my weakness, but I cant do anything about it right now. So we just sit there on the beach crying.

* * *

AN: Next ones gonna be a bit different but good different. And as always, thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 6: The Funeral

AN: This is actually not in the show but I felt that it really helps the story. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

I stared at myself in the mirror. I had on a black suit with a black shirt and a black tie. The suit was a rental. I had worn this outfit twice before. Once when my grandmother died when I was four and once when I was nine, for my dad's funeral. The insurance company had set it up and a social worker had taken me there. I was the only one who showed up. Afterward he took me to a foster home. None of them lasted very long. No one wants a teenage foster kid, or even anyone over six really. So after a year or so I ran away. I figured my mom had had a funeral but I just didn't remember it. Now I guess there was never any need for her to have one. I sighed. I wasn't old enough to understand what was going on at my grandmother's funeral. At my father's I was just in shock. Here, I was lucid. I could still feel the pain, but I had to be strong. For the others. The entire Team was grieving immensely.

I walked out to the living room where Ma'gann, Conner, Gar and La'gaan were waiting. They were all dressed in black.

"Time to go." Conner said solemnly.

* * *

I sat in a chair at the Gotham cemetery. There were a lot of people there. Along with the Team there was Wally West, or Kid Flash, Artemis's mother and most of the League, including my mother. I hadn't been in Gotham since I ran away. It was hard just being here. But I knew I had to do something even harder before I left.

I looked over at Mom. She sat by Oliver Queen, or Green Arrow. She looked over at me and gave me a sad smile. I didn't return it. I couldn't smile right now.

Looking around, not many others looked like they could. Gar was transformed into a bird in a nearby tree, Ma'gann and Blade were off to one side talking, everyone else was strewn about mourning. I spotted Cassie. She was in the back fighting off tears by the look of it. She was wearing a black dress that cut off at the knees. It hugged her body, showing off the curves of her sides and hips. I shook my head, clearing it of those kind of thoughts. She looked like she needed someone. I considered going over to her for a moment. Everyone else was too busy or grief stricken. I was the only one there.

I walked over to her and she looked up ant me with sad eyes. I sat down beside her and without a word put my arm around her. She just sat there for a moment awkwardly. I started to think that it was a bad idea when she leaned into me, putting her head on my shoulder. She was small. Well not by normal standards but I was huge so she just came up to my collar bone when standing. Right now her head was against my chest. My heart sped up a few paces as I realized how close we were. I could feel her chest move up and down as she breathed. She started shaking. I held her close.

"It's OK. It's OK." I say soothingly as I rub her shoulder.

"No it's not! How can anything be OK again?" She asked burying her face in my suit.

"I know it seems that way. But it will be. I'm not going to say that it'll happen today, or tomorrow, or this week or even this month. But it will get better. I promise." I told her exactly what I would've wanted to hear when my dad died. She was silent after that. She just cried into my chest. I held her there as she soaked my shirt. I did't care. It wasn't even mine.

I looked up at the front where there was a picture of Artemis. I felt the red hot fire of anger well up in my stomach. It boiled and festered into something far worse. I looked down at Cassie and felt the familiar burn of rage. Rage at Aqualad. He would pay for this. And everything else he had done...

* * *

I leaned against Tommy's chest crying. I don't know why but he made me feel safe. He was like a wall with all of his muscle. But he was warm, and with him wrapped around me it felt like I was covered in a big comforter. That's what he was. Comforting. He seemed to have a hard exterior but he was kind at his core. I snuggled into his chest. I could hear his heart beating. It seemed to be quicker than normal, but that could've been my imagination. I knew my heart was going crazy. I looked up at him wiping my eyes. He looked so strong, the suit helped, he looked great in a suit. Not just physically, but emotionally. I couldn't even imagine him crying. I didn't care what the girls said later. Right now I really needed someone.

"How do you know?" I asked.

He looked down at me with his cold blue eyes that saw into my very soul. They both unnerved me and relaxed me. "I may not have known her that well," he said avoiding saying Artemis's name, probably for my benefit, "but I know what it's like to loose someone you're close to." His pain was in his eyes. They told me his story. The story I had been dying to know with out knowing why.

"Who did you loose?" I know I shouldn't pry but I couldn't help but ask. I wanted to know more about him.

He shook a bit as a pained laugh escaped his parted lips. "Ha ha ha, first?" he asked. He looked away and didn't answer his own question. He seemed to loose himself in thought. _'Loose himself' _Is that what he meant? Did he loose himself somewhere along the path? If so where? And how? He was always joking so I was surprised that he answered seriously. Even if it wasn't really an answer.

I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant but he stood up first. I was a little surprised how disappointed I was. "I'm sorry but there's something I have to do. Something I should've done a long time ago." He walked over to Black Canary. Blade had told me that he was her son. Dianne said something to Oliver and then together the two of them left. But not towards the exit. They went further in to the cemetery.

I stared at them as they left. I couldn't stand it. Curiosity was welling up inside of me. I snuck away and fallowed them. They wound their way around graves and through pathways. Tommy leading and Dianne following.

They walked for what seemed like forever but eventually they stopped at one of the graves. It looked like something out of a movie. It was the only one on a hill with a tree next to it. I came from an angle that they couldn't see me and hid behind the tree. Tommy knelt down in front of the grave and and said something, but I couldn't hear from where I was. After a while Dianne said something to Tommy and went back to the others. My mom would be looking for me soon. But I had to know who's grave this was. I leaned out a little but I couldn't see the name.

"Since you're here already you might as well just come out." He said nearly giving me heart attack.

I stepped out and asked, "Who is it?"

"Look for your self." He said standing up. God he was so mysterious.

I looked. The headstone read, "R.I.P. Arthur Crane. Beloved Father."

"Is this who you meant?" I looked at him, "Who you lost? Your father?"

"One of them, yes." He had a sad look in his eyes like he the memories hurt.

"How many... have you lost?"

He looked back at the grave, "More than anyone should."

I stepped closer to him. All f my instincts were screaming at me to leave, that he was dangerous. But something in me just yearned to be closer. "I feel like no one should loose anyone."

"Well, it would be nice if it was like that wouldn't it."

I put my hand on his arm and turned him so he was facing me. _'Just do it!' _I thought, _'what's the worst that could happen?'_ I put my arms around his waist and pulled him to me. I pressed my cheek to his chest and just stood there. He didn't move. He was so big I felt like a little girl hugging her dad. But then he wrapped his huge arms around me, enveloping me in himself. I breathed in his sent for a moment. The last time we were this close was when we had first met, and then he smelled like the sea. Now he smelled like a mixture of soap and pine trees. I liked it. It smelled like the good parts of hiking and the forest.

"So," I said smiling up at him, "you're from Gotham?"

He smiled at me, showing his white teeth. "Maybe." Damn he annoyed me at times.

"Huh, are you ever going to tell me your story?" I had meant for it to be a thought but it just slipped out.

"Ha ha ha!" His laugh was deep, showing the beginning signs of puberty. "Are you really that interested in me?" He raised an eyebrow.

I suddenly realized that we were still hugging and tried to pull away. He held me in place. I looked into his eyes, he wanted an answer.

I smiled back at him, "Maybe."

He leaned closer to me. My heart was racing. What was happening? Was this happening? His face was just inches from mine now. I stared at him, not knowing what to do. How did I get into this situation? How do I get out? Did I want to? I closed my eyes and waited for what came next.

"You should get back." He was so close I could feel his breath on my lips. I opened my eyes and he let go of me and stepped away. He pointed over my shoulder. "Your mom's calling you." I fallowed his gaze and sure enough there she was waving at me. Huh.

"I- uh- I'll see you later." I said and walked back down the hill blushing bright red. As I walked I couldn't help but feel this incredible sense of longing in my gut.

* * *

I watched her leave as my stomach danced with my heart. _'What the hell just happened?'_ Did that actually happen? Was I actually going to... to... kiss her? Was she going to let me. I shook my head and looked back at Dad.

"Well, as you can see Dad, I've found out your little trick. Mom's not dead you little prankster." I could feel tears in my eyes and this time I didn't stop them. I was being strong for Cassie but now she was gone. "And I've made a few friends. They're great! Well Superboy's a bit hot headed and La'gaan's kinda a jerk but they're all good people." I held out my hand, palm up, and focused. A green rose slowly took shape. "You would've loved them all. I miss you Dad, and... I forgive you." I placed the energy flower on his grave and turned, headed back to my new family.

* * *

AN: This one's kinda short and I'm sorry but I had to get something out. And as always, thank you for reading!


	7. Chapter 7: Darkest

AN: I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying the series so much. And I hope you continue to enjoy.

* * *

I stood in the grotto of Mount Justice in front of the holograms that were dedicated to the fallen heroes of the League. The plaques that were in front of each read as such, "Jason Todd, Ted Kord, Tula," and now, "Artemis Lian Crock." I stared at Artemis, or her hologram. I had known her for only a day. I stood beside Jaime, Bart, Gar and Robin. The girls were all somewhere upstairs.

Suddenly I heard a crunching noise to my right. I looked and saw Bart eating chips. Seriously? "Uh sorry." He said, "Mourning makes me hungry."

Jaime grabbed his shirt and pulled him away from us. I furrowed my brow and stepped in between them.

"Hey guys, there's no need to fight!" I said.

"He stole those freeze dried chicken wizzies from my locker!" Jaime looked at Bart, "Didn't you?"

"Hey, where I come from it's not stealing, it's scavenger rights. The point is we don't have chicken wizzies, freeze dried or other wise, in m era. So blame Kid Flash. He got me hooked."

Jaime put his hand on his head. "Forget I asked."

"So why is this here?" Bart asked, "I mean, it's pretty and everything, but these people are heroes! 'In the like of duty' and all that. They should have big statues. Big crashy memorials in the... Hall of Justice or something."

"Yeah, why don't they?" I asked.

"Yeah, I asked that too." Jaime said, "Captain Atom says the League doesn't want, or need a shrine to it's fallen. But I don't know... It seems to me that they just don't want to advertise we're not immortal. The hand full of regular people who've seen me in action, they think I'm this guy in a new costume." He said gesturing to Ted Kord, the previous Blue Beetle. "The wold will never know about Ted Kord's sacrifice."

"But you know." I said with a smile.

"And you're carrying on the grand Blue Beetle heroic tradition, right?" Bart said.

"I wish!" Jaime said. "It's such a total rip! Superboy has Superman. Wondergirl has Wonderwoman. Robin has Batman, Nightwing, Blade, _and_ Batgirl." He looked at me, "You've got a whole planet full of mentors!" Then he looked at Bart, "You've been in this era like what, five minutes? And already you have three Flash mentors, one who feeds you junk food." Bart smiled and hid the bag. "But me? I never even got to meet the guy that should've been my mentor."

"Dude," I said looking at him, "I haven't gotten a chance to meet any of the other Green Lanterns. All of 'em from earth were on Rimbor before I even got here!"

"Heh," Bart laughed, "I hear that. You know, we all have more in common than you guys might think. Our love of chicken wizzies for example." He said leaning closer to Jaime. "Let me buy you some to replace the bag I salvaged. We'll all hang. It'll be totally crash." He hooked an arm over each of our shoulders.

Jaime and I looked at each other. I shrugged. Why not?

"Uh, sure." Jaime said.

"Great!" Bart exclaimed. "Either of you got any money?"

I smiled, "No, but I know where Ma'gann keeps it..."

* * *

A few days later I stood in the training room facing off Nightwing. I held my arms near my face to protect it. He stood a few feet away doing the same. I didn't have my suit on. His orders. He said that I needed formal hand-to-hand combat training. Mom had given me a few pointers but nothing serious. I was a black belt in karate and I had learned a bit of boxing from Dad, but even still I was having trouble. Nightwing was good. Real good. I dropped low and tried to take his feet out from under him, but he had anticipated it and jumped over landing behind me. I stood and turned to face him, once again putting up my guard. I was almost as tall as him, but only about half as wide. I threw a right an he side-stepped and punched me hard in the jaw. I stepped back dazed. He tackled me tot he ground and got his legs around my mid section. I put my hands up to guard my face as he punched my stomach. I gasped and dropped my guard for a moment. He went to punch me in the face but stopped an inch from my face.

"Good try," He said with a smile, "but you're still punching too hard. Don't put it all in one hit." He helped me up. "And use your size to your advantage."

I nodded. "Again." I said through heavy breaths. Nightwing raised an eyebrow. Before we could the computer called out, "**RECOGNIZED: BLUE BEETLE B-22, IMPULSE B-24**"

They ran out of the zeta tube and Bart said, "Ha, ha! Left them in the dust!"

"Left who in the dust?" Nightwing asked. I noticed Bart was holding something that kinda looked like a TV remote. Apparently Nightwing also noticed. "And what is that?"

"Souvenir!" Bart said.

"Souvenirs are Beast Boy's thing ese." Blue said.

"Oh really? I thought it was Kid Flash who..."

"Can we get to it?" Nightwing cut Bart off.

"Sorry," Blue apologized, "Aqualad attacked us with Icicle Jr, the Terror Twins and a ninja girl I didn't recognize."

"This is how they tracked Blue." Bart said holding up the device. "I made sure they couldn't do it again."

"So you brought foreign, possibly alien tech into the Cave?" Nightwing asked, clearly pissed. "Rookie mistake!" He sighed. "Alright, give it here." He took it and hooked it into the computer. He typed something on the screen and looked irritated.

Blade walked in and looked at the device. "What is that?" She asked.

"We're trying to figure that part out." Nightwing told her.

Suddenly the computer went crazy.

"Uh I'm an idiot!" Nightwing shouted.

He turned and got hit in the chest by Superboy's lifeless body. I looked where he came from and put my suit on. I looked and saw Tommy Terror, one man who I was not proud to share a name with. I flew at him but he backhanded me across the room, implanting me in the wall. Icicle Jr stood in an alcove in the wall.

Impulse took him down then he charged his sister, who was carrying Beast Boy, but bounced right off and into the awaiting hands of Tommy. He tried to punch him with his super speed but it seems that Tommy was made of concrete. He put a collar on Impulse that somehow took his powers away. He punched Impulse and he landed in the center of the room.

I removed myself from the architecture and flew at Tuppence. She tried to punch me in the head but I was too quick for her. I hit her hard in the gut and she leaned forward into my knee. I spun and kicked her in the chest. She staggered back and dropped BB. She charged me and dodged my high kick, dropping behind me. I felt one one of those collars slip over my neck.

I laughed, "Sorry girly, but all my powers come from this." I flashed my ring.

"No problem sugar." She said with a smile. She pulled out a remote and pressed a button. I felt all my muscles tense as the familiar sensation of being shocked passed through my body. I was really getting _really _tired of being electrocuted! I stood up to hit her again but something stopped me.

"Stand down!" Aqualad called.

"Aqualad!" I yelled. Rage boiled inside of me as I remembered everyone's faces at the funeral. Cassie's face. Cassie's tears.

"This battle is over." He said in an annoyingly calm voice.

"I don't think so traitor!" Blue shouted.

"Then rethink, Beetle." He set down the bag he had. It hit the floor with a metallic _thud_. "This is the same type of bomb that obliterated. Melina Island." He pulled the bag back revealing a big metal, alien looking, object. He held up a detonater. "I am holding down the dead man's switch. If my thumb comes off of this button, for any reason, Mount Justice falls."

Was he serious? Would he really do it? I sighed. Of course he would. He killed Artemis. This was just another mission to him. I couldn't let this happen. This was my new home. I had just got here!

"We're standing down." Blue said holding up his hands.

"What?" I asked.

"We can't risk him blowing Mount Justice. Stand down." Blue told me.

"Huh" I sighed. He was right. "Fine." I said holding up my hands.

"Wise choice." Aqualad said.

Icicle Jr slid down on a slide made of ice and said, "I'm fine by the way."

"Good." AL said, "Escort Beetle, Impulse, and Beast Boy to the Flyer."

"What about these four?" The ninja girl asked.

"As hostages here they have value. But Nightwing and Blade are ordinary humans. And with out his ring, so is Green Lantern. Superboy, a human-kryptonian hybrid clone. Neither category is of any interest to our partner." AL explained.

"Aqualad, You'll regret this!" Nightwing yelled.

Aqualad walked up and punched NW hard in the gut. "I believe I have outgrown the name Aqualad, as well as anything resembling regret. I will leave the bomb with you, as a souvenir. Oh and the dead man's switch has a five mile range. Do not pursue." And then they left, leaving me, Nightwing, Blade and Superboy.

I ripped the collar off of me with ease and took Superboy's off. Blade and Nightwing got theirs off with ease.

"Go after them!" Nightwing yelled.

"On it!" I replied and flew through the halls. I could hear the others behind me but I was much too fast for them.

I burst through the door and onto the beach as Aqualad's ship took off. I looked behind me and saw the others on the supercycle right behind me.

That's when the blast hit me. The first thing I could think about was the heat. It was blistering. Then the boom. It was so loud. My head was ringing. I couldn't breath. The shock wave had knocked the breath out of me. I struggled to breath at all. I felt the sensation of falling. I looked down. I _was_ falling. I saw the water approaching fast. I still couldn't breath. _'This is bad!' _I hit the water and everything went black.

* * *

I woke up on the beach with Blade giving me mouth to mouth. My eyes went wide and I sat up. I opened my mouth to say something but doubled over in pain. I tilted my head to the side and vomited sea water. I looked up and saw the heap of flaming rock that used to be my home.

"Are you OK?" Blade asked me. I looked at her and was about to respond when a though passed through my head.

"My lantern!" I said and flew into the rubble. I found the area where my room used to be and started digging through the rocks with my bare hands, receiving a few burns in the process. I saw the smoldering pile of burnt cloth and metal that was once my bed. I grabbed the bottom of the frame to lift it up. "AHHHH!" I pulled my hands away. The metal was red hot. I made a huge energy hand and threw the bed. _'Oh thank god!'_ The safe was still there. I ripped off the door, not taking the time to put in the combination, and saw my lantern, untouched.

I looked around at the wreckage. Rage built up in me at one thought. _'Aqualad!"_ HE. WOULD. PAY!

* * *

AN: What? An update before midnight? Well it is the weekend so here you go. And as always, thank you for reading


	8. Chapter 8: Before the Daun

AN: Hope you like!

* * *

It was a cold night in Star City. I stood on a shipping container at the docks in civilian clothes. I looked over at Bee, Batgirl and Robin. Bee had shrunk down and was on Robin's shoulder.

"Get ready." Batgirl said.

There were a ton of manta troopers patrolling a square enclosure of teenagers, with Tigress leading them. We wouldn't be able to slip among the kids with the troopers watching them like that. But we got a stroke of luck, Tigress ordered the troopers to get something from the ship.

"Now." Batgirl said.

She and Robin dropped in. A green aura surrounded me and I floated down. As soon as I hit the ground I slipped off my ring and tucked it in my jacket pocket. The kids started to freak.

"Hey! What? What are you-?" One of the girls asked.

"Shh, we're here to help." Batgirl reassured them.

"Why should we trust-" Another girl added but was interrupted by Bee flying into Robin's pocket. "OK. Never mind."

"One per pod. Move!" I heard Tigress call. One of the troopers opened the gate and they started herding us to towards pods. Robin and Batgirl were put next to one another.

"Hey!" A trooper called to me. "You too!" He tried to put me in one on the other end than Robin and Batgirl. _'Not good'_ I thought. I needed to be closer to them in case anything went wrong. I faked like I was trying to run and one of them grabbed me and shoved me into the pod next to Batgirl. I smiled to myself. Much comfier here.

"OK go!" Tigress called. "Boat 'em and float 'em." And they loaded us up. The ride wasn't long. Soon they were pushing the carts full of our pods into a new ship.

There were manta troopers and aliens everywhere. The aliens were tall with blueish skin and were wearing red uniforms.

_"Alpha squad, I'm heading into the alien ship. Are you aboard?" _I heard Ma'gann's voice in my head.

_"Affirmative," _Batgirl replied. _"We're in some kind of docking bay. We have a visual on the new aliens, AKA the Krolotean's competitor, AKA the Light's partner. And we've got other company. It's Aqualad." _I could feel my anger boil inside me at being in the same room as him. _"If he makes us, we're over."_

_"Stay whelmed." _Nightwing said,_ "He won't be looking for you. Just don't attract attention."_

Some alien wheeled us to a lab of some kind and hooked our pods up to the walls using some crane like arm. There were four kids already there. I looked at the faces that I could see. Scanning for the one that looked familiar, the one that I knew. But I did't see him. Where was he? Where was Jack?

_"I've found Gar and Bart," _Ma'gann said._ "They're unconscious but alive. No sign of Jaime or La'gaan."_

_"We've got eyes on Lagoon Boy and... Shimmer? Plus four civilians and all the teens we came with."_

The aliens that were loading us onto the walls finished and left.

_"We're unsupervised now, but Blue still unaccounted for and escape could trigger response. Do we wait?" _Batgirl added.

_"Negative alpha. Make your move. Before you need rescuing too." _Nightwing said. _"You too Miss M. Get our boys."_

I put my hand in my pocket and slipped on my ring. My suit appeared in an instant and I threw my right shoulder against the pod, _hard_. It caved instantly and I was out. I looked over and Robin and Batgirl had blasted their way out. A moment later the alarm sounded and the race was on.

We freed the others quickly and ran through the halls, encountering minimal resistance.

As we arrived at the docking bay I heard Superboy say in my head. _"Docking bay secured."_

_"Nice timing handsome." _Bee replied.

_"Docking now." _Nightwing announced.

A door on the other side of the room opened up and Cassie called from inside, "Alright people, let's move!" She and Blade walked out of the ship.

Robin, Batgirl and I took out the last of the alien soldiers and went to help the others.

"The link's down, I'm going in!" Superboy called and ran through the door, but before he got very far he was hurled backward.

An alien walked in wearing what looked like a black version of Blue's armor. "Apologies _meat_" He said in a voice so deep that it was ten times worse than nails on a chalkboard, "but no one goes anywhere." He put his hand on the wall and the docking bay was sealed off.

"Listen, uh, Black Beetle!" Wondergirl called, "You're totally outnumbered. Open those doors now and we'll go easy on you."

"_You_ will go easy, on _me_?" He asked. He let out a deep maniacal laugh. Oh yeah, it's possible.

"Well that's not usually a good sign..." I said.

He charged. But so did we. He grabbed Wondergirl and used her like a hammer, smashing her into us then throwing her into Batgirl. He threw La'gaan against another wall and knocked Superboy back. But he recovered quickly and ran up to Black Beetle, punching him in the chest. Black Beetle shrugged off the blow and knocked Superboy back again. I flew at him and faked an uppercut. He went to swat me away like a fly but I ducked under and kicked him in the gut. He grabbed my foot and smashed me on the ground repeatedly. I heard my ribs crack, but I was so chalk full of adrenalin that I couldn't feel it. He held me up by ankle and said, "Well well well, a Green Lantern attacking us outright? That's against the agreement. But you are so young. Maybe you don't even know any better?" What was he talking about? He threw me against a wall and I tasted blood as I fell to the floor next to Superboy. I tried to get up but my body wouldn't respond.

Wondergirl flipped over him and kicked him in the chest with both feet, launching herself off of him like a springboard. She landed and went for another punch but he grabbed her fist and punched her instead. She landed next to Superboy and I holding her midsection. _'Bastard!' _I tried to yell but the only thing that came out of my mouth was a week groan.

Bee flew around him stinging him but he didn't even flinch. He held out his arm and a sonic cannon formed on it. He blasted her out of the air.

Blade, Robin and Batgirl started pelting him with bat-and-birdarangs that exploded on contact. Then Lagoon Boy grew behind him and slammed both of his fists on Black Beetle's back, forcing him to bend over. Something clamped Lagoon Boy's hands down. Electrodes protruded from Black Beetle's neck and chest. I heard Lagoon Boy shout then Black Beetle shot him in the chest with a sonic attack. He flew to the other side of the room. Smashing a computer. By now I was staring to feel my cracked ribs and apparently arm.

Robin and Batgirl shot out a pair of tazers and tried zapping him. He didn't even flinch. Some compartment opened up in his back and shot out huge black staples. They tried to flip away but were caught and pinned to the wall.

Across the room I saw one of the kids we rescued pick up a gun from the manta trooper and take aim. But before he could fire Shimmer tackled him. Blade ran and started attacking her. _'C'mon!'_ I thought, _'show some willpower!'_

Black Beetle took aim with his sonic cannon but Superboy, Wondergirl and I all crashed into him.

Suddenly I heard Beast Boy's voice in my head._"Can't you at least get the link back up?"_

_"Gar I can hear you!"_ Blade told him.

_"Oh, thanks. Now, come on. We're sealed out of the docking bay! What's going on in there?"_

_"Don't know." _Nightwing said, _"I'm cut off aboard the Bio-ship."_

Wondergirl answered him, _"We're fighting Black Beetle and Shimmer. Lagoon Boy, Robin, Batgirl and Bumble Bee are down, and- Conner, look out! Superboy's down. It's just Blade, me and Green Lantern now."_

I Black Beetle spun me around in a circle and slammed me into the ceiling. I fell and hit the floor hard. Then he grabbed Wondergirl and slammed her into the door. He pulled his arm back to punch her but Ma'gann's head peaked through the door. He put his hand to the door and she groaned before hanging lifeless halfway through the door.

"What did you do to her?!" Wondergirl asked.

"Shifted the density of the door. Wasn't quite prepared for that, now was she?" Black Beetle said with a smile. "But don't be jealous. I can put you half way through the door too. Half way. The hard way."

He pulled her back and slammed her against the door._ 'No.' _He slammed her again. _'Get up.' _And again. _'Use your will power!' _And again. _'Stop it' _I tried to push my self to my feet but fell. And again. "Stttppp tttt." I gurgled out through blood. And again. I could see the pain on Cassie's face. Anger burned in me like a great bonfire. "St-stop it..." I struggled to my feet. And again. "Stop... huh it..." And again. And again. Each boom echoed across the room and into me. Cracking my soul. "Stop it!" And again. I could no longer feel any pain. Just pure rage. And again. **_"STOP IT!"_**

Black dropped her and turned to look at me. I could feel energy flowing through me, as much apart of me as my blood and five times as abundant. Black raised an eyebrow. "What's this? The little meat's still got some fight in him." I looked at Cass. She was still breathing. Black noticed. "Oh," He knelt next to Cass, "is this one your mate?" He grabbed her unconscious face and looked at it, sending a whole new wave of rage through me and with it, power. The rage must've been strengthening my will. "Hmm I don't understand the attraction. It's hideous. But then again, so is all meat!"

"Don't touch her!" I yelled and charged him. He went to punch me but I grabbed his fist and hurled him across the room. Before he could recover I charged him and hit hard with a punch in the chest, which I fallowed up with two more. I locked my fingers behind his neck and pulled his face into my knee. I stepped back, narrowly avoiding a wild punch, and gave him a roundhouse in his right side.

He grabbed my head and said, "Enough!" His hand was so big it covered most of my face. He slammed my head into the floor. I didn't even feel it. I thrust up my right hand at him and a giant beam of green light blasted him into the ceiling. I flipped out of the way as he came back to earth. I didn't give him time to counter attack. I lifted both hands behind my head and out of nowhere a giant green hammer appeared in my hands. I hesitated. How did I do that? I didn't have time to think because Black shot a sonic blast at me sending me into the adjacent wall.

I forced myself up and looked at my opponent. He turned his hands into pincer-like swords. I held out my hand and thought. Nothing happened. The rage I had a moment ago was fading. Black charged. I looked at Cassie's body on the ground, barely breathing. Oh yeah, that did it.

Just as Black hit me a green-energy cutlass appeared in each of my hands. I blocked both his swords with one of mine and swept low with the other. Black's jet pack came to life. One of his hands returned to normal and he grabbed the back of my collar.

Together we soared around the room. He tried to stab me in my chest with his other sword but I pulled my left hand across my chest and a shield appeared over it. I raised my other sword to cut through his shoulder. But it just bounced off his armor. He swung me into the wall but I kicked away from him, putting my feet on the wall instead and bending my knees. I pushed off and shot at his chest. I grabbed him and we hit the ground hard.

We on like that. Matching each other blow for blow for a while. Whenever I was running low on anger I'd just look at Cassie. Blade was still fighting Shimmer. She gave me the will to go on. I put my hands together at shot a huge energy blast at Black. It hit him in the air and he fell. I charged him with an energy spear in my hands. He recovered at the last second and punched me in the jaw. Hard. I saw stars. I stumbled back a bit. He followed up with a punch to my chest. I heard my cracked ribs break.

"Ugh!" I grunted as all the air left my lungs. _'Not good!'_

Black brought his hand back and bitch-slapped me into the wall. I fell on my chest, agitating my ribs. My head was on fire and I couldn't move my right arm or see out of my left eye. I tried to get up but I felt two hard fists slam into my back, knocking me back down. I stayed there.

"Aw, done already? And it was just starting to get interesting. Well you made a good warm up I guess." Black Beetle gloated over me. I could barely hear him.

Blade took down Shimmer and Black turned to her. I grabbed his ankle. He looked at me and kicked me in my already broken ribs. I coughed up blood. "Please, you're done. Just a matter of time before one of those ribs punctures a precious lung of yours."

The door by Cassie opened up and Ma'gann fell to the floor. Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, Impulse and Blue walked in. Blue touched the wall and the door to the Bio-ship opened up.

I was vaguely aware of Black saying something but I was teetering on the edge of consciousness and it was unintelligible. I thought I saw Blue and Black fighting but I couldn't focus. I felt someone pick me up and carry me. I couldn't fight even if I was able to think enough to try. I was placed back on the floor and I felt someone prop my head up on something and start tending to my injuries.

"AH!" I yelled when they weren't careful enough.

"Tommy!" I heard Cassie's voice.

"Sorry, but I need to work quickly." It was Blade. She was tending to me. So what was Cassie doing?

"UUUHHNN!" The pain helped me to focus enough to open my eyes. My left remained half closed. We were in the Bio-ship. There was water filling up the ship coming from back in the alien ship.

"W-What's...?" I asked.

"You're OK!" Cassie cried. Actually cried. She had tears on her cheeks. I reached up and wiped them from her face.

"These for me?" I asked. It kinda hurt to smile, but I forced it. She held my hand to her face.

"Everyone's aboard except Blue!" Batgirl called. I stood up, with quite a bit of effort and not a small amount of will power.

"Going back in for him!" Impulse yelled. He tried to run out but got hit by a big wave and was pushed back in.

"Nightwing seal the hatch! The docking bay is flooding our hull." Blade called over to him.

"Acknowledged." He called back.

"But Blue!" Beast Boy complained.

"We can't help him if we drown or are crushed by the pressure at this depth!" Batgirl explained.

The door sealed and the water slowly drained away. I sat down in a chair and Cass sat on the floor next to me. I offered her the chair but she had refused. I put my hand on her shoulder and she held it to her cheek. La'gaan got Blue and set him down in a chair.

Blue woke up in a slight panic. I didn't blame him. "It's me! It's me!" He said taking off his suit.

"Course it is." Bart said with a smile. Those two got awfully close.

"Mission accomplished everyone. Well done." NW said with a smile. He turned to Ma'gann and asked, "Care to take the controls Miss M?"

She didn't answer. She just stared blankly out the window. What had gotten into her?

"Uh, I think she's still basking in the glow of victory!" Beast Boy said, "She totally nailed Aqualad! You should've seen it! Well, actually it didn't look like much. But I'm sure it was very cool inside their heads!"

With Mount Justice gone, Blade dropped me off at Mom and Oliver's apartment. I was so filled with pain killers that I just flopped on the couch. Much to Mom's surprise. All I could tell was that Blade and Mom talked for a while before I blacked out.

* * *

I was running. Where? I wasn't sure. But I knew something was chasing me. When I looked back all I could see was red. Red like blood. I ran faster and faster but the red just kept getting closer.

_"You can not escape me Thomas Crane! For I own you." _It yelled.

"How do you know my name?" I yelled back.

_"Because you told me! When you gave yourself to me. Now I own you!" _I had heard the voice before but couldn't place it.

I continued running and a hallway appeared around me. It was the hallway from my old apartment. The one I lived in when I was nine. The one I lived in with Dad...

I looked behind me, the red was still coming. I ran into my old room and slammed the door. I turned and put my back to the door and slid down to the floor. I put my head to my knees.

Suddenly I heard crying. I looked up and saw Cassie curled up in the corner, crying. I ran to her and reached out to her. But it wasn't my hand. I looked at my old closet door where my old mirror still hung. I looked and I saw me, but as a kid again. Me when I was nine. The me in the mirror had a look of pure hatred on his face. I looked back to Cassie and she was staring at me like I was a monster.

"Cassie it's me." I said.

"NO! Stay away from me!" She yelled.

"Cassie I'm not going to hurt you." I said.

But she wasn't looking at this me. She was looking at the me in the mirror. I turned and he gave me a devilish smile.

_"She can't hear you." _He said in the voice of the red. _"She can only fear you."_

I looked back and Cassie was gone.

_"Looking for someone?" _The other me asked. I turned and saw him walking towards the corner where Cassie had appeared. She had a blank look on her face.

I ran over to the mirror and watched in horror as the other me walked towards Cassie.

"Don't you dare touch her!" I yelled.

_"Me? I'm not doing anything! This is all you Tommy." _A knife made of red energy appeared in my, I mean his, hand as he walked.

"No!" I cried and banged on the glass. "No! No!"

_"Tommy, Tommy, Tommy," _He kept chanting as he got closer and closer to Cassie with the knife. _"Tommy, Tommy, TOMMY!"_

* * *

"Tommy, Tommy, TOMMY!" Mom shook me awake. I struggled against her grip and almost punched her.

"Wha- what?" I looked around. I was on the couch in Mom's apartment. I had on my Green Lantern suit and a blanket covered my legs.

"You were having a nightmare sweaty." Mom said with a concerned look on her face. I powered down my suit. I was still wearing my shoes, jeans and hoodie from last night. I must've crashed pretty hard. I tried to sit up and winced as pain flared in my ribs. I carefully slid my feet off the couch and sat up.

"What was it about?" Mom asked.

"Hmm?" I looked at her.

"Your dream?" She asked.

"Oh, right well..." I looked at her puzzled, "I can't remember..."

"Well that's normal. But," She looked at me seriously, "I think you should take off your ring when you sleep from now on."

I smiled at her and she kissed my forehead. I looked and saw a tray with a couple muffins and a glass of milk on the coffee table. She saw me looking and smiled, "Eat up now."

The door bell rang as I grabbed a muffin and started eating. Mom got up and walked over to answer it and I turned on the TV.

"Repeating today's top story, a small group of extra-terrestrials, "The Reach" have arrived at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. For more on this we go live to GBS's own G. Gordon Godfrey at the UN." A reporter said

_'Oh great' _"Thanks Cat. And, yes folks it seems that Earth's finally met some aliens that know how to get it right!" The camera panned in on an alien and one of the UN's representatives shaking hands.

"The Reach comes to your world as friends." The alien said. "We come with open arms, extending our hands, our 'reach' if you will, to help."

"Well thumbs up to the Reach. Oh, I know what you're thinking. Old G. Gordon's gone soft on the spacemen. But don't you see? This is exactly how aliens _should_ come to Earth. Knocking on our front door, not sneaking in the back like some _Lea__guers_ we know." Gordon said.

"Tommy!" Mom called from the door. I muted the TV and looked to see Cassie smiling bashfully she had a gift in her hand, "You have a visitor."

Cassie walked over put the gift on the table and sat next to me, making Mom raise an eye brow and smiled at me. I waved at her to go away.

I swallowed the food in my mouth and said, "Uh hey Cassie. What's up?"

"I-uh I was just worried about you- I mean about your chest- I mean your eyes- I mean...! How are you doing?" It all came out out once.

I laughed, "I'm good."

"Oh, that's good." She said. "The others wanted to know. At least I think. I haven't asked yet."

She inched a bit closer to me and my heart raced. She put a hand on my chest and leaned even closer. I stopped breathing for a moment and leaned close to her.

"OOOh I smell muffins!" Oliver said walking out of the master bedroom. Cassie jumped and we were so close that she bumped her head on my nose.

"Ow!" I yelled.

"Oh, sorry you two were having a moment!" Oliver said through a mouthful of food. "I'll leave!" he turned to leave then grabbed another muffin and left.

"Heh, sorry about that..." I said.

"No it's OK," she said, "I should get going anyway. Blade just sent me to deliver the package." She pointed at the box.

"What is it?"

"Pain medication."

"Pain medication? In a present box?"

"The meds are for your ribs and the box, I guess it's Blade's idea of a joke."

I smiled, "Well thanks for bringing it by."

"No prob." She said. "So... I guess I'll see you later?"

"Defiantly." And she left.

I looked at the box on the table, rubbing my side. I looked at the card and it said, "Take two pills a day, and be more careful Cowboy!" I smiled and opened the box. I took out two pills and put them in my mouth. I grabbed the milk and took a swig.

"Defiantly huh?" Mom asked behind me making me choke on my milk.

"Kuuuuu kuuuu kuu!"

* * *

AN: I finished the other one early today so here's a second! Well for any whose as crazy as me and is up at this hour. And as always, thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9: Cornered

AN: OK, so I know, really late with this one. Sorry. It really should've came out on Thursday, but there was a mix up and I had to rewrite this one... three times! So I am sorry but I did cut out out some of the jokes or scenes for lack of time, But I hope it was worth the wait, and I do wish to acknowledge something. As we get closer and closer to the season two finally I understand that all three of my readers are probably wondering the same thing. "Is there going to be a 'season three?' Well I'm happy to say that, yes, I will be continuing beyond the series. I have already laid the ground work. (Insert evil laugh here) Anyway, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Conner, Wolf, Ma'gann, Nightwing, Blade, Mal and I arrived in Bludhaven at about nine at night. Everyone else was in the Supercycle, but I had chosen to fly on my own. I always preferred to fly myself. It cleared my head. The wind rushing through my hair, the cool feeling of as I pass through a cloud, the udder freedom of being weightless. It was euphoric. It gave me time to think, which at the moment was not a good thing. There was one thing in particular that I thought about. The fight with Black Beetle. More specifically, just after that fight. The fight had, although broken my bones, felt great. Wielding that much power was invigorating, though terrifying. I couldn't control myself more than aiming and letting loose. And that scared me. But fortunately before long we had arrived.

We landed at a small warehouse at the docks. It didn't look like much. Not the "it didn't look like much" of Gotham where you definitely didn't wanna go down a dark alley in the bad part of town, more like the "it didn't look like much" of a bubbling cesspit of lava and skunk spray where you didn't wanna go anywhere near it and if you were in there you would wanna get out as soon as physically possible and wonder what kind of nut case would live here. _'We would.' _I thought.

"Nice," Mal said as everyone piled out of the S-cycle. "Perfect cover for our new digs! On the out side, I mean it's down right nasty!" _'Don't get your hopes up.'_

We walked in and Mal said, "And it's nasty on the inside too." It was an avid description. It appeared to be just one room with a raised platform off against one wall with a simple staircase leading up to it. Under the platform were six beds, one behind a curtain, and what appeared to be a bathroom next to them. On the platform itself was what appeared to be a living room set up, with a couch and a few chairs. Everywhere else there was just random junk. There was a table that was covered in unfinished little gadgets and gizmos. In another area there was a tool box. An actual tool box.

"April fools right?" Mal continued, "I mean, this is the Team's new HQ? Where's the secret trap door to the real base?"

"No secret trap door. And it's not our new HQ." Nightwing said. "For the time being we'll operate out of the basement at the Hall of Justice. This is just a place to crash." Mal went to say something but before he could NW said, "A very temporary, stopgap place to crash, for those of you who were actually living at the cave."

"It's fine." Conner said and made him self at home. I sat down on a bed and started to relax. I didn't see Mal's problem. This place wasn't that bad. I've lived in worse places. I mean, it had a roof. I couldn't always say that.

"I'm sorry about the lack of privacy, Ma'gann. This curtain will have to do for now, but we'll figure something else out." Nightwing explained.

"Oh, no. No way. I am out." Mal said as he stormed out. "I'm heading for the Hall, where I'm making other arrangements, my friend."

"You three should go along." Nightwing said. "Pick up the boxes of your stuff we salvaged from Mount Justice. Might help this warehouse feel more like a... ware-home."

* * *

A little later at the Hall I stood at a table in my civilian clothes, rifling through a box labeled with my name. Most of it was just crap that was shielded by my bed or dresser. There wasn't much, but I didn't have much to begin with. Mal was talking to Karen by the computer.

Out of nowhere I heard random beeping coming from the front door, followed by an electronic voice saying, "Greetings and salutationisms, Earth champions!" Was salutationisms a real word? Zatana and Captain Marvel ran to see who it was, concerning they were the only ones who were Leaguers. Karen pulled up the security footage for the main entrance. A little robot floated up to Cap'n M and Ze. He looked kinda cool.

"I am L-Ron, major domo to the great master. And you are my prisoners." He spoke like a game show host.

"This is Plastic Man's April fools day prank isn't it? OK Plas, ha ha, you got us!" Captain Marvel said with a laugh.

"No... I have you." L-Ron said. He pressed a button on his arm and a laser grid appeared over the entire Hall. "Though not for myself, of course. Rather, I hold you here at the behest of my master, who seeks to prove himself against Earth's greatest warriors." A big purple alien with a fin on top of his head appeared in front of Captain Marvel and kicked him. He was so tall that his foot made contact with Cap'n M's chest, sending him flying through the glass. "Let the cage match begin! No fooling." L-Ron announced.

Zatana tried to cast a spell but before she could a third eye opened up on the alien's forehead and she went limp. "Ah ah ah! Magicism is cheating." L-Ron said as if scolding a child. "Master's more of the, hands-on type. Allow me to introduce my master. The warlord Despero, gladiator champion of ninety two star systems! Working on ninety three now. He has come to this _backwater_ planet seeking a challenge to prove his superiority to all life forms. It's quite the complementism. You really should feel honored."

"Oh I am. Here, let me show him!" Captain Marvel said and attacked.

"He needs back up." Conner said. Karen shrunk down and I put on my suit. We ran through the halls and appeared in the main room as Captain Marvel fell to the floor... from the ceiling.

"Check on Zatanna," Superboy told Bee, "Fin-Head's mine."

"I think you mean ours!" I retorted.

He smirked. "Just don't get in my way rookie." He said.

He jumped and went high so I dashed low. I reached Despero and tried to take his legs out from under him, but he was faster than I had anticipated. He grabbed my ankle and used me as a bat to knock Superboy out of the air and across the room. He then swung me over his head and smashed me into the floor, agitating my healing ribs. He swung me back over his head and into the ground again. I coughed up blood. He did it again. He smashed me into the floor maybe five times, it might have been six, I lost count. He held me up by my ankle and growled at me before throwing me at Superboy, who had just gotten back up.

"Ugh," he groaned. "What did I say?"

"Ow," I complained. "He Loki-ed me!"

Superboy lept at the alien again. I held my hands and tried to summon a pair of twin cutlasses into them. But nothing happened. I looked at my hands. What was going on? On the Reach ship I was able to do it with barely a thought. So why couldn't I do it now? Will power! That was the key. I pictured the swords in my mind and pushed with my will. It took a bit of time but I was able to force the weapons into existence.

I saw Despero punch Superboy and send him flying. I drove my right shoulder into Despero's gut and slashed upward with my swords. He didn't even feel it. I back-flipped and kicked him just under his chin. He stumbled back a bit but caught himself before fully loosing his balance. I brought my swords down apon him in an "X" shape. Once again he felt nothing. He knocked my swords away from me and kicked me. I tumbled across the room.

Superboy ran at Despero but he just punched him, sending him crashing into the statue of Martian Manhunter which collapsed on him.

"Hmm, not an impressive showing for you earthlings thus far." L-Ron said floating over to Superboy.

Despero picked up Captain Marvel by his cape and punched him so hard he soared straight through the glass roof as Mal and Miss Martian arrived. Bee and I flew over to them.

"Big Ugly is wiping the floor with our heavy hitters." Mal said.

"You're telling me?" I huffed.

"I tried stinging him but he didn't even feel it. Miss Martian, you have to do something!" Bee pleaded.

Miss M's eyes glowed and she threw out her arm toward the statue of Martian Manhunter on Superboy. I floated up and zoomed at Despero. He simply smashed it into a million pieces. He then picked up the disembodied head of Wonder Woman's statue and hurled it at us. Mal lept to safety and Miss M and Bee flew away, but I was too slow and got hit.

"Green!" Miss M cried. I rolled the head off me and gave her a thumb's up. Cap'n M flew in from where ever it is that he landed and started keeping Despero busy.

"Come on Miss M! Brain-blast him or something!" Mal called from the floor.

"No!" She recoiled. What was wrong with her? Now was not the time to be struggling with morality.

Despero punched Captain Marvel down the hall and through the suit cases. I fallowed but before I could help I fell behind a pile of rubble. My breathing was heavy and ragged. My sight was distorted with black spots. What was wrong with_ me_? On the ship I could just ignore the pain but right now it was the predominant thing on my mind.

Despero held Captain Marvel against the wall and smacked his head back and forth.

"OK, you've got stuff." Cap said holding up his hand, "I'll admit it. But I've still got one last trick up my sleeve." Cap punched both sides of Despero's hand, causing him to let go, and flew behind him.

"SHAZAM!" He bellowed. Lightning struck them and when my eyes readjusted I saw fifteen year old Billy Batson hanging from the alien's neck.

"Oh man, I really thought that would work!" He said. Despero dropped grabbed him by his collar and held him at arm's length.

"Flagrant foulism!" L-Ron called hurrying over. "My master has no interest in fighting a child!" I made a mental note not to mention that Billy was a few months older than me. Despero opened up his third eye and Billy went limp, just like Zatanna. Despero dropped him like garbage and growled at L-Ron.

"Um, yes, master" L-Ron said. "You will need a new opponent."

Superboy, Miss M, and Mal walked in and I ran over to them.

"Aha! This one wears the symbolism of Superman! And look here, this one of Green Lantern! Two of Earth's mightiest champions."

I looked at the symbol on my chest. It was the symbol of Oa. When I had first gotten the suit I had thought it was so cool. But now it just felt like a big target. And I didn't like the smile that Despero was giving us.

He charged us and knocked me out of the way. He grabbed Superboy and slammed him into a trophy case along the wall then dragged him across the wall and to the one on the end. Miss Martian grabbed him and pulled him back over to her.

"Do you earthlings really have no concept of honorable single combat?" The little guy was really staring to piss me off. Despero jumped and grabbed Superboy, tackling him through the ceiling. I flew up after them with Miss M and Bee right behind me.

"Do not follow Earth females and Green Lantern! Do not interfere! It is poor sportism!" L-Ron shouted from somewhere behind me.

I flew in the library and saw Despero holding up Superboy's unconscious body.

"Take his head master. It will make an excellent trophy!" L-Ron was kinda dark.

"Not gonna happen!" I yelled and rushed Despero.

He dropped Superboy and took up a fighting stance. I dashed in low and hit him in the gut with my elbow. He bent forward and I kicked the side of his head. He crashed into a bookcase. He got up and shook himself off, growling at me. He jumped and almost landed on me, but I flipped out of the way at the last second. I jumped and caught him with an uppercut under the jaw. He stepped back. I punched him in the side, but he grabbed my arm and pinned it with his left hand. I tried to wrench my arm free but he held it tight.

He pulled his right arm back and punched me on my jaw, hard. I saw stars. He punched me again and I tried to block but I couldn't get my arm up quick enough and his fist made contact. I coughed up blood. He punched me again and my knees buckled. I could feel that my jaw was in the wrong place. He let go of my arm and I collapsed to my knees. He stood over me and all I could think was that I was going to die. I wasn't ready to die. I couldn't die, not because I was scared, because I wasn't. I couldn't die because I would hurt people with my death. Mom, Ollie, the Team... Cassie... I closed my eyes. _'I'm sorry Cassie...' _I felt him hit me again and I blacked out.

* * *

I woke up in an elevator. I hooked my jaw back into place. It hurt, but it was a kind of good pain.

"What happened? Where's Mal?" Superboy asked from my left.

_"About to play the most important game of keep-away in my life." _Mal said through the psychic link, _"So how about you guys figure out a plan B. Fast."_

"How could you leave Mal up there alone? Get your martian head in the game!" Superboy scolded Miss M.

"Nothing I've thrown at the alien telekinetically has had any effect. And I can't attack hi psychically, I just can't." She responded. What was up with her? And why did she feel that she couldn't tell us?

"Then don't. But do something." Superboy said before running off down the hall.

I gave Miss M a smile then followed Superboy. We entered a small room with a two way mirror on one side of the room. The interrogation room.

_"Uh, how we coming on that plan B?" _Mal asked.

_"Coming right up!" _Superboy said as he jumped and smashed the ceiling.

Mal and Despero fell through the newly formed hole. Wait was Mal wearing the Guardian costume? Never mind.

Despero stood on top of me with Superboy in his right hand and Mal in his left.

"Master, he has no powers." L-Ron said, "This so-called champion is merely another distraction. Neutralize him, then take the other's head." Despero growled and opened up his third eye, but before he could use whatever power it was that knocked the others out Guardian's eyes glowed and he said something backwards, in Zatanna's voice. Despero dropped my two teammates. I wiggled out from under the beast's disgusting feet.

"Superboy, Green Lantern, I've used Ma'gann's link to posses Mal and turn the alien's power back on himself." Guardian said in Zatanna's voice. "But I don't know how long it'll last."

"Long enough!" Superboy said and punched him through the wall.

"Cheaters! Sneaks! Frauds!" L-Ron cried. "You will all suffer for your crimes!" The robot sprouted a gun or weapon from more places than I thought would be possible for the little guy.

Billy dropped in from out of nowhere and landed on L-Ron's head. "Let's try this again." He said, "Shazam!"

All that was left of the bot was his head, which was shouting, "Poor sportism! Poor sportism! Poor sportism..." He started glowing.

"Uh oh." Captain Marvel said.

"He's gonna blow!" I yelled.

The explosion was so big that the entire Hall collapsed. I held up my hand and made a platform to protect me and the others. I tilted it and dropped the rubble safely away. Zatanna floated down and joined us.

"I can't believe that guy Medusa-ed me." Karen said. "Uh, why are you dressed like that?" She asked Mal.

He gave her a face that made me chuckle. The chuckle soon became laughter, and then a raucous hysteria. I couldn't help it! We won!

Before long Ma'gann joined in and then Zatanna, Karen and Mal. Even Conner, after a moment.

"Alright you bunch of hyenas," Captain Marvel called to us, "We're not done yet." He jabbed a thumb at the laser grid.

I groaned.

* * *

Captain Atom fired a beam of energy at the shield. But nothing happened.

"OK, together!" He called from the other side of the shield. He and Captain Marvel charged the shield and punched. Nothing.

"My spells aren't working either." Zatanna said. "We could try digging our way out." She suggested.

"Perhaps I might be of some help." The Reach ambassador said. He took out a small device from his jacket and placed it on the shield. It flickered then disappeared. "There, problem solved."

Captain Atom stained. "Thank you, Ambassador." He said stiffly.

"Such a shame your Hall was destroyed. I suppose it is fortunate you still have your other headquarters. The one in orbit above us now. What is it you call that one? The Watchtower?"

Oh hell no! He did not! I wasn't able to listen to anything else they said from my hiding spot, we were covert ops anyway, because someone hugged me from behind.

"Ah!" I cried as my ribs burned with anger at the touch.

"Oh, sorry!" Mom said.

I turned to look at her and frowned. She had tears in her eyes. She held me, her arms around my neck and mine around her hips.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She laughed, "What's wrong? I thought... well..." She looked me dead in the eyes. "I lost you once, I won't again."

I smiled at her. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Back at the warehouse Gar, La'gaan, Conner, Mal, Nightwing and I all sat watching lovely Mr G Gordon ranting about the Watchtower.

"Great," Nightwing said. "What happened to your 'other arrangements'?" He asked turning to Mal.

"What would you guys do without me?" He asked back.

"Well it'd smell better." I said.

"Huh," He sighed. "Where's Ma'gann?"

"She said this place felt to much like a 'boy's dorm'. And as much as she liked the smell of unwashed socks..." Nightwing explained.

"Hey I wash!" I said, "But BB over here..." I let the statement hang in the air.

"Hey!" Gar said. I burst out laughing, which hurt my ribs a little but I didn't care.

* * *

AN: OK so it's finally done! I honestly feel like God hates Despero and L-Ron, but I persevered! And as always, thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 10: True Colors

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

I slammed my hand on the table again as the video played for the thirteenth time. I figured the pain might suppress the grief.

"Virgil," I heard the calming voice of my Mom and for the first time since we met, again, it didn't make me feel any better, "I know you've been through a lot." I looked up and saw the kid. He was kinda tall, a little shorter than me, with coppery skin and dark dread lox stuffed into a blue cap. "But I'd still like to ask you a few questions about your abduction."

"Well, here's one. Why am I on camera?" Virgil said.

"To make sure I remember what you say. I'm speaking to everyone, to provide counsel, but also to find out exactly what happened and hopefully gain some insight as to why the Reach chose you."

"I don't know why they chose me. But I know they wanted to break me."

"Well, why do you say that?"

"The tests. They started out small. Little... static shocks. But, they kept upping the juice, 'til I felt like I was being... eaten... by lightning. Still, I was one of the lucky ones. The alien creepazoids didn't seem to like the results they got from some of the other kids. Kids I never saw again... Look, when can I go home? My family's probably worried sick."

"It wont be long. For now, if you'd wait in the hall."

I slammed my hand on the desk again. Mom had interrogated the kids from the Reach ship and this was one of them. No one else actually admitted it but here was definitive proof. I rewound the video again.

"I was one of the lucky ones. The alien creepazoids didn't seem to like the results they got from some of the other kids. Kids I never saw again..."

"_Jack..." _I whispered.

"The alien creepazoids didn't seem to like the results they got from some of the other kids. Kids I never saw again..."

"_Jack..._"

"**Kids I never saw again...**"

"_I'm sorry Jack. I was too slow._"

* * *

"The question isn't whether our world's finest are the galaxy's most wanted. It's not whether they've been using secret, undercover, covert operatives against targets of their own choosing. No, it's not even whether these interstellar hoodlums have their own watchtower in orbit over our planet. No. Old G Gordon proved all that a week ago, didn't he? So the question is this: How long are you going to stand for this and do nothing to check these lawless 'heroes'? Ugh. Well, I'll just wait here for you to make up your minds. Take your time. If you're not in a hurry, why should I be?

"Meanwhile, Earth's true benefactors, the Reach, have been working openly and without fanfare for the betterment of all mankind. Exhibit A, LexCorp Farms, where the Reach has partnered with noted philanthropist, Lex Luthor, to increase food production. LexCorp and the Reach are even allowing public tours. Heh. Trust, openness, and an end to world hunger. Now, why didn't the Justice League think of that?"

* * *

Nightwing paused the recording and turned to us, "Obviously, any partnership between the Reach and Lex Luthor is a bad thing." We were in the warehouse in Bludhaven. Because Desper-dork trashed the Hall, much to Mal's excitement, this was our new HQ. "So Alpha Squad is going in undercover to recon LexCorp Farms. Robin, you'll be running Alpha."

"Me? Run Alpha? Uh, right." He said. I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Who's on the squad?"

"Blue Beetle-" Nightwing started to say but was interrupted by Blue.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I should not be in the field ese!" He said. "What if the Scarab goes all 'Reach apocalypse' on us?"

"Your Scarab has had multiple opportunity to betray us. It hasn't. And right now it's connection to the Reach may be our best shot at identifying what they're up to."

"Well if blue's going, I'm going!" Impulse said.

"I assumed as much." Nightwing said with a smile. "Also Green. And last but not least, Arsenal." Roy Harper, the real one not Red Arrow which had been his clone, stepped out from the shadows wearing a red and black suit and a bunch of guns strapped to his back. "But you'll have to travel lighter for your first mission. Nothing that won't fit under civilian clothes. Any questions?"

"Just one," Arsenal said, "why are we meeting in this dump?"

"With the Cave and the Hall of Justice destroyed, we don't have many other options." Nightwing said.

"Except the watchtower. It's national news now. You can't pretend it doesn't exist!" Arsenal snapped. What was his problem?

"Only Justice Leaguers and _senior_ members of the Team are authorized for the Watchtower. You don't qualify." Nightwing explained.

"Good to know where we stand." Arsenal said. Really dude?

* * *

"Please remain seated at all times while the train is in motion." A woman's voice called over the speaker.

We were at LexCorp Farms in Smallville. It was a small town, mostly farmland. But I liked it. It was calm, peaceful even. Much better than Gotham, or any big city really.

We drove into one of the greenhouses and the tram stopped. Everyone started to get up so I did to. We had been sitting down on that thing so long that my butt had gone numb. I rubbed my legs to get the circulation going again. Because it was a covert mission we were all wearing civvies, our civilian clothes. I had on a pair of jeans and a black jacket with a green t-shirt and matching hat and sneakers. I don't know if it was the ring or mind control or just a sort of affinity but I had found myself wearing more and more green, even when my suit was off.

"We've just entered one of our farm's hydroponics domes," The announcer lady said in an annoyingly perky voice, "where LexCorp and the Reach are growing the food of the future."

"This could put the rest of Smallville's farms out of business." Johnathan Kent said. He was a farmer here in Smallville. And Superman and Conner's adopted father.

"No, no, not at all. The Reach plans to share their techniques with the entire agricultural community."

"Well aren't they just guardian angels." I leaned close to Jaime and said a little too loud.

"I agree!" The announcer said. "Please, everyone enjoy your choice of these new vitamin-rich Reach-enhanced produce."

"Genetically enhanced?" Robin asked.

"There's been no tampering with genes, rest assured. The Reach have ways of drawing out an organism's full potential." She gave us the most awkward smile ever. Well it seemed awkward to me.

Everyone started tucking in to the free samples and raving about how good it all was. I reached into my pulled out a plastic bag and put a lemon in it. I was about grab another but stopped when I heard a crunching sound next to me. I turned to see Bart eating an apple. What? Just what? He was eating the "Reach-enhanced" food?

"What? I'm maintaining cover." He said.

I noticed some big machine with pipes that ran to the plants. The pipes contained what appeared to be a sort of pink fluid. I nudged Robin and nodded to them.

"What's in those tubes?" He asked the tour guide.

"Just water, nutrients and a little Reach-slash-LexCorp love!" She replied. "Our next stop is the pluot orchard. That's right! Pluots, in April!"

"Time for a bathroom break." Robin said.

"I went before we left." Bart said. Jaime and I each grabbed one of his arms and dragged him. "Dudes, they don't have pluots in the future!" He complained.

* * *

I don't know how long we had been in that bathroom, but I was slouched over in a stall with my legs against one wall and my back against the other, playing Angry Birds on my i-phone. The phone was a gift from Blade, she had put a special microchip in it that made it untraceable and Nightwing downloaded a bunch of apps for me. I had just gotten to a new level when Bart called, "Ugh, can we _please _start the mission now?"

"Fine, yes. Go." Robin said.

We all walked out and I looked around. Everyone was dressed either in black or just dark colors. I had left the bright green vest part of my suit out in favor of just the black undergarment. Everyone except Impulse. He was in his usual suit.

"You're in the wrong mode." Robin told him.

"Dude, I crash all modes." Impulse said.

"Stealth mode hermano." Blue huffed.

"Oh, heh, right." Impulse laughed. "Now, where exactly did, uh...?" He started poking and prodding himself in every spot except for the button. Finally Blue just elbowed him and Impulse's suit turned black. "Unh, ow. Thanks." HE snapped.

We snuck through the halls and back into the green house. Robin pulled up the plans for the building and Arsenal shot these special arrows that shorted out the security cameras. We rushed over to a trap door in the center of the room and Arsenal opened it. We dropped down into a long hallway with a few guards facing away from us. Robin jabbed a thumb behind us and we disappeared behind a corner. We snuck into what seemed to be a lab. There were Reach everywhere, and so were those machines from before. The Reach were taking pink balls from this bin and adding them to the water that was being pumped into the plants. The Reach scientists were speaking some strange clicking noises.

"What's she saying?" Robin asked.

"OK, uh, she's telling her technician to go easy on the 'additive'." Blue explained. "Just a sec." His eyes glowed a bit as he scanned the lab before nodding towards the bin. saying, "That's it. That's your additive." He turned to tell Robin but he was gone. "Where did he?"

"Shh!" I hushed him when he spoke too loud. I pointed over to the bin. Robin's head peaked up and he grabbed one of the balls and ducked back down.

"Got what we came for. Let's go." He said once again by us.

We got back up to the green house and hid behind a wall of plants. I looked over and saw two guards protecting the door.

"Two guards, one door-hack, and we're home free." Robin said.

"It feels too easy..." I say.

Robin got up to go but Arsenal grabbed his shoulder. "What?" Robin asked.

"Wait for it..." Arsenal said. Suddenly the trap door was blown skyward and the alarms blared.

"You blew the lab?! But this was a covert op. What were you thinking?" Robin chewed him out.

"That I'm not about to let Lex Luthor and his alien space buddies poison the world just because we don't know what kind of poison he's using. Plus, I enjoy making Lex miserable." Arsenal said with a cruel smile.

Impulse took out the guards and called, "All clear!" We rushed the door.

Robin started hacking the door and called over his shoulder, "You just don't get it, do you? You went off-mission. That was a huge mistake!"

Then a voice called from behind us, "Funny," _'Oh god, please no' _"I was about to say the same thing." The voice was deep and calm. I turned to see Black Beetle flying in mid air.

He dropped right on us, but we all scattered in time. Robin was the first of us to react. He whipped out his electric staff and whacked Black Beetle in the jaw. Then he jabbed Black in the chest. He barely felt it, he just knocked it and Robin away. Impulse was next. He ran by Black punching him every time. But Black read his movements and punched him into a tomato stand.

"I may not move as fast as you, meat, but my scarab processes faster than even you can run let alone think." Black said.

Arsenal fired a grenade at him, which did a really good job, of getting his attention. He started towards Arsenal but before he could get to him I charged. I uppercut Black, catching him on the chin. He stepped back but was otherwise unharmed. I went to kick him in the side but he grabbed my leg and tossed me into Impulse.

"What are you even still doing here, Green Lantern? We are now welcome on this planet. Therefore by the agreement with the guardians-" He was cut off by me and Impulse throwing tomatoes at him. "Now that's just a waste of good fruit." He grunted.

"No, that's just a distraction!" Impulse yelled. Arsenal was fiddling with his prosthetic arm and aimed the end at Black. A laser shot out of the end and carved a line in Black's armor which instantly repaired itself.

"Any more tricks meet?" He called angrily.

"Just a few." Blue retorted and fired a plasma blast at Black. It didn't even phase him!

"Ah, nothing like a warm plasma blast to calm the nerves... and clean off the tomato stains." Black said with a smile. He was actually enjoying it. Blue shot a sonic blast at him but he just countered it with his own. "Seriously? The fruit hurt more." He said. Impulse ran around Black creating a vortex. "Trying to suck away my oxygen? I hardly touch the stuff."

"Blue what gives?" Robin asked. "Last time you threw down with this guy, you were hard core."

"That wasn't me. Scarab was in control." Blue told us.

"So give it control again!" Arsenal snapped.

"Believe me, I'd like nothing better. But I can't risk that." Blue said. "Not with Impulse's prophecy hanging over my head."

"And what about you Green?" Robin asked.

"I've been trying!" I said. And I had, but just like at the Hall I couldn't summon the power I had before. "I don't know what it was, but there was something on the ship that made me stronger."

The vortex that Impulse was creating grew and I could feel the wind tug at my body. Even the floor started to get ripped up. But then something shot out of inside the vortex where Black was, hit Impulse and pinned him to the wall. It looked like a giant black staple.

"Your laser." Robin suggested to Arsenal. "It's the only thing that's done any damage."

Arsenal fired at him but he just held up his arm to block. Well that seemed to piss him off. He fired a plasma blast at us and we were barely able to dodge. Blue and I lept in to attack, him with his pincer swords and me with my cutlasses. But Black easily held us both off.

"You're just toying with us aren't you?" Blue asked.

"What gave me away?" Black chuckled.

He punched Blue into the wall and turned to me. I tried to slash across his chest but he blocked the attack and hit me point-blank with a sonic blast. I was sent flying and nearly hit Robin who was attaching explosive birdarangs to the wall. My midsection roared in pain. I don't think my ribs were healed at this point. And at this rate, they never would.

"Time to go?" Impulse asked, still hanging from the wall.

"Yeah do your thing." Robin helped me to a safe distance from the bombs and clicked a detonater. "Go! Go!" He called.

We ran through the hole and Impulse ran up to us. "Did a quick recon. Want the options? Cornfield or cornfield?"

"Cornfield." Robin called and ran.

"Tough choice." I muttered under my breath and fallowed.

"You know you guys could fly outta here." Impulse told me and Blue.

"And you could run about a thousand miles before Black Beetle could even blink. If I grab Arsenal could you carry Robin?" Blue asked.

"Sorry. Fast, not strong. Green?" Impulse suggested.

I looked at my flashing. "Unh, sorry but it looks like I'm outta juice. I could fly myself but not any more." I groaned.

"Well Alpha never leaves a man behind." Blue said.

We emerged into a small clearing.

"We'll double back. Maybe lose him." Robin ordered.

"That doesn't seem likely." Black landed two feet from us.

I backed up into someone. I turned and my heart plummeted. It was another Beetle. He had appeared out of thin air. This one was green. Hey wait, that was my thing!

"How many colors do these guys come in, anyway?" Impulse asked annoyed.

We were surrounded. Trapped between a Beetle and a cornfield. Well two Beetles, but that's not the point.

"Form up. If we go down, we go down fighting." Robin told us.

"Real inspiring captain." I said sarcastically. "Like something out of Brave heart."

"Yeah, dude. I'm betting that sounded better in your head." Impulse agreed.

But then Green Beetle jumped over us and started attacking Black. He launched him and sliced him up with a pair of pincer swords. Black got up and charged, but Green Beetle pulled out part of the ground telekinetically and hurled it at him. Black cut it in half and locked swords with Green, Beetle that is. Not me.

"Warrior, you dare attack me?!" Black asked. "You scarab rejects are coming out of the woodwork tonight!"

"Better to be a reject than a slave." Green retorted.

"Uh, this guy? Not in the history books." Impulse said.

"Then who is he? What is he?" Blue asked what we were all thinking.

Black went to strike Green Beetle but passed right through him. Then Green's legs became a long tail and he wrapped around Black.

"Density-shifting, shape-shifting, all the powers of a martian, except-" Robin was interrupted by a voice in all our heads.

_"Heroes of Earth, I established this link to better coordinate our attack."_

_"Telepathy, that clinches it!" _Robin said, _"This guy's the Blue, uh- Green Beetle of Mars."_

"So another alien? Do we leave them to fight it out?" Arsenal asked out loud. He wasn't used to mind links.

Black blasted Green and set the corn on fire in the process.

_"Move in. Blue, Green... Lantern, frontal assault, keep Black busy." _Robin ordered. _"Impulse, put out the fire. Arsenal, use your laser on that plasma cannon. I want it out of commission."_

"Right, be prepared to move." Arsenal warned.

Blue started firing blue staples at Black, I stood next to him and held out my palms.

_'Come on!'_ I thought. What was different? I couldn't be me. So what? Could it have been someone else? Black maybe? No, then I would've kicked his ass in the green house. So what? Cassie! She gave me the will to go on. I looked at Black and remembered him slamming Cassie against the door. And I fired a huge energy blast at Black. Not what I had on the ship but it was something.

Impulse ran around the the fire and stiffened off the oxygen and put it out. Arsenal rolled behind Black and shot his laser at Black. He turned and fired a plasma blast at Arsenal and Robin hit him with a birdarang. We all jumped away as it exploded. I flew by Blue and looked at Black.

"Would it be too optimistic to hope that that actually hurt him?" I asked.

Black just got back up and laughed.

_"I was kinda hoping that would've had a more lasting effect." _Arsenal said.

_"Your methods are crude. But you have the right idea." _Green Beetle said. _"Beetle of Earth, fire your sonic cannon at twenty seven angstroms precisely."_

_"Uh, my Scarab's telling me, 'that tactic will be ineffectual'."_ Blue said. _"That's a quote, by the way."_

_"For one Scarab, the tactic would be ineffectual. But tonight, it is not alone." _Green explained. _"Twenty seven angstroms. Now!"_

Blue fired and Black just laughed it off. "Ha, tickles." He smiled. He started walking towards us. Then Green fired and for a second, I might have been mistaken but it looked like he felt it. And it did not feel good. He groaned and let out a pain filled cry as his armor cracked and peeled away from his head and chest by the force of the shock waves. He collapsed to the ground unconscious and I walked up and leaned down next to him. I poked him with my forefinger.

_"Well I guess, now we know why he wore the mask." _I said smiling.

_"Scarab says he won't be unconscious for long." _Blue told us.

_"That is true." _Green said.

_"Then what do we do now?" _Impulse asked.

_"Now, we run!" _Green turned to Robin and Arsenal and held out his arm. They floated up in the air and Green took off, with the other two right behind him. Blue grabbed Impulse and we flew after them.

"Dude, what are you doing? Where ever we're going, I can totally get there first! Uh, are we going?" Impulse asked.

_'Good question...'_

* * *

Nightwing called us and told us to meet him Conner, and Blade at the Kent's farm in Smallville. We met up and luckily Blade had brought my lantern so I could charge up.

"Thanks for the use of your barn, Mr. Kent." Night wing said. "Until we check out this Green Beetle, we can't afford to bring him to our HQ. Lost too many of those already."

"Well, he's not the oddest thing we've had in this barn." Mr Kent replied. "And I'll take any excuse to see one of my boys." He put an arm around Conner.

I stared at him, "Was Superman really that bad growing up?" He didn't answer, he just smiled at me.

"My name is B'arzz O'oomm and obviously, I am of Mars." Green Beetle said.

"Obviously. It's the Beetle thing that's got us wondering." Robin told him. "How are you connected to the Reach?"

"I imagine my story is not dissimilar to yours." Green said looking at Blue. "On Mars, I am what you would call an archeologist. Two of your Earth years ago, I stumbled upon a Scarab which attached itself to my person."

"Yeah, that last pert sounds familiar." Blue said.

"From the Scarab, I learned of the Reach and their plan for the galaxy." Green continued. "Millennia ago, they sent out one Scarab to every planet sporting primitive life. The Scarab bonds with and takes full control over its native host, giving the Reach an advanced operatives for their inevitable invasion."

"But my Scarab malfunctioned and didn't take full control." Blue said. "That's why the Reach wants to reboot it, by killing me."

"So did your Scarab malfunction too?" I asked.

"No." Green said, "But it was not prepared for the Martian physiology, which allowed me to take control of the Scarab instead of the other way around."

"Still doesn't explain how you wound up here." Nightwing said.

"For decades, the one you call Martian Manhunter has sent communications from_ your _world to ours." He explained.

"Television signals. They are quite entertaining."

Robin leaned close to me and said, "All Martians love TV."

"Indeed." Green agreed. "But when it became clear that the Reach were on Earth I believed my assistance here would be required."

"The League will need to confirm your story." Nightwing said.

"But for now, thanks." Robin thanked him.

Green bowed and Nightwing grabbed Robin and Blade in the corner. I sat on a stack of wood, next to Bart and Jaime, and put my head in my hands.

"So... are you and Cassie a thing or what?" Bart blurted out.

"What?!" I shouted.

* * *

AN: Later than I would've wanted, but I do my best, so here you go. And as always, thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11: A Day Off

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm not very comfortable with this." Miss Martian said. "Delving into your mind, it is an intrusion."

Nightwing, Blade, Superboy, Robin, Lagoon Boy, Miss Martian, Blue Beetle, Impulse, Arsenal and I all stood in a circle around Green Beetle. It was just past midnight and I was exhausted. I rubbed the back of my neck and tried to stay awake. I just wanted to go back to the warehouse and sleep.

"You have my permission." Green assured her. "We must be able to trust each other." He gave Miss M a horrific smile that would make even the Joker jealous. Miss M jumped and I doubted anyone could blame her. "Does my smile displease? Is this not how humans convey friendship and put each other at ease?"

"There has to be another way." Superboy said.

"Look, I'm not sure what the Martian etiquette is here but Green Beetle is right. We need to trust each other, which means we need to be sure he is who he says he is." Nightwing told him. "Miss M is our only real option."

Lagoon Boy walked up to Miss M and put a comforting hand on her arm. "Go for it, Angelfish." He said. "Reading this guy will be a piece of crab cake."

"Please, proceed with the mind link." Green encouraged her.

She sighed, then they linked up. They just stood there for a moment, well technically Green was sitting down. I couldn't help but wonder what was happening in their heads. They were probably talking about Green's alliances and loyalties. Finally Miss M turned back to us and said, "Green Beetle is on our side."

* * *

"_Become a citizen of the Milky Way, by holding out your ha-and. Grab the taste that'll make your day. One sip and you'll understand. Our friends have come from far beyond, to help us and to teach. Quench your thirst while we all bond. Don't wait, reach for a Reach! Yeah, in strawberry-mango or in peach. Reach for a Reach!_"

"From LexCorp and the Reach!"

* * *

"Bleh!" I said as Nightwing cut off the commercial. It was deplorable! Just a devilishly catchy song coupled with propaganda. "Well I guess they've resorted to psychological warfare."

"This consumable contains the Reach's additive which combine microscopic quantities of two chemicals." Green held up one of each of the Reach drinks. "One is a dopamine polymerase, the other, an adrenaline inhibitor. Taken over generations, they will slowly addict the entire population to the Reach and make the people of Earth placid. Literally incapable of revolt."

"That matches up exactly with Flash and Atom's analysis of the additive sample acquired from LexCorp." Blade confirmed.

"Ah, I see. Still I am tested." Green sounded a bit disappointed.

"Look, we're sorry, but-" Nightwing was interrupted.

"No, it is wise." Green agreed. "As they say on your world, 'all cards must be off the table'."

"_On _the table." Blue corrected. "I mean, never mind. Ignore me."

"We already do." I said with a smile.

"'_On _the table'." Green thought. "Yes that does make more sense. So here is my final card on the table: My Scarab informs me that the additive also contains a mitochondrial marker which works as a Meta-Gene tracer, allowing the Reach to identify and isolate potential super-powered individuals."

"Making it easier to harvest and weaponize the Meta-Gene." Night wing pointed out. "Our analysis didn't reveal that. Thank you."

"Can't we go public with this?" Blue asked.

"I'll pass it on to Captain Atom, but the League's credibility is at a record low right now. We'll probably have to bide our time. Good work everyone. Meeting adjourned." Nightwing announced.

"Finally!" I shouted throwing up my arms.

Bart ran over and put an arm around Jaime and smiled at me. "Hermanoes, the night is young!"

"You're kidding right?" I asked him.

"The night is over, ese." Jaime told him. "And all I wanna do is go home and catch some Z's."

"Here, here." I say nearly passing out.

"How about we meet up first thing in the morning? You know, like noonish." Jaime suggested.

"Sound's crash. See you guys then." Bart said and punched me. He ran off to who knows where and I turned to Jaime.

"Where do those speedsters get all that energy anyway?" I ask.

He chuckled, "Yeah, they could start their own power company."

"Just power it by running on those giant hamster wheels." I smiled at the thought and we walked to the Zeta-tube. We were about to go through but Jaime stopped.

"You go on, I wanna ask Green Beetle something." He said looking back.

"Alright." I said too tired to think straight. And I went through.

* * *

I couldn't sleep. After all that, I couldn't sleep. I looked at the clock by my bed. Seven-thirty five. I laid in my bed thinking about the question over and over again.

_"So.. are you and Cassie a thing or what?"_

Were we? I mean we hadn't really done anything that would institute a relationship. Well... there was at Artemis's funeral. And after the attack on the Reach ship. But... what were those moments? Were they just my imagination? I was kind of delusional at the time.

I put my hand on my lips. I could still feel her breath from the closeness and couldn't help but feel a deep longing in my soul. Did she feel this longing too? Was she thinking about me? Did she know I was thinking about her? Was I seriously thinking about her thinking about me thinking about her?

"Huh." I sighed loudly.

"Shut up!" Gar yelled.

"Go to sleep Tommy!" Mal complained.

I didn't even hear them. What was there between me and Cassie? At the funeral and after the Reach ship. What were we feeling then? I don't know about her, but I felt horrible. I was grieving for Artemis and then after the ship, I was just confused. Grief and confusion. Not two emotions to build a relationship on. Those emotions were moments of weakness. At Artemis's funeral she was so distraught. And in Mom's apartment was the day after I almost died in her hands. Was that all I was to her? A moment of weakness? Well there is one thing I was sure of. And that is this: What she was to me. Which is that she gave me the will to go on. I wasn't sure what that meant, but it meant something. It had to.

"Huh!" I rolled over.

"Dude!" Gar called.

"Sleep!" Mal yelled and threw a pillow at me.

"Sorry." I said a little to loud and Gar threw his pillow at me too. "Now I'm keeping them."

"Shut up!"

* * *

I awoke to solemn news. Ma'gann had been captured by Aqualad's ninja slave Tigress and La'gaan was hospitalized.

_'Aqualad.' _He was never satisfied. Just the thought of him sent rage coursing through my body. I got up to do something, anything. I just needed to get out the energy.

It was past noon so Bart and Jaime had probably left to do whatever without me. So my schedule was open. What was I going to do? I had too much energy to just sit around. I threw on a t-shirt and a hoodie. I ran into the kitchen, which was really just a mini-fridge and a small pantry, and grabbed a granola bar as I flew out the door, literally.

I had no idea where I would go. I guess I could see what Robin's up to. Or maybe Mom? No... not Mom. She'd be all goo goo with Ollie right now. Arsenal was a bit of a creep and Superboy and Nightwing were with La'gaan. Mal was probably with Karen. Gar would be with his tutor at Star Labs.

"Huuuuuh." I sighed as the wind rippled through my shirt. I had opted to leave my suit off and just fly casually. But I needed friends. Well, available friends. Ones who weren't super-powered or insane. But was I one to talk about that last part?

Finally I decided on hanging out at the mall. Teenagers did that right? But defiantly not in Bludhaven. Gotham and New York were closest. Gotham was almost as bad as Bludhaven but New York had way too many people. So I guess it's Gotham City baby!

I landed in an alleyway across the road from a smaller mall. I could've gone for a bigger one but I didn't want to see to many people. This one was nice, clean and had the most essential thing on my list: a book store.

I had about sixty dollars in my wallet, my headphones and my phone. I walked in to find just what I had expected. Almost no one, even though it was a Saturday. I walked around the place for a while and nobody seemed to question it. I made my way to the food court and got a couple tacos. I sat down to eat and just as I was about to take a bite I heard giggling.

I looked up but saw nothing so I took a few bites and heard it again. I looked all around and saw where it was coming from. Three girls who looked to be about sixteen sat a few tables from me. It looked as if the one in the middle was being bothered by the other two, but she also didn't seem to mind too much. The one to her right had dark coffee colored skin and was wearing a dark jacket. She had half of her head shaved. The other had light skin and bright pink hair with matching glasses and a blue jacket. I guess the one being made fun of could be considered cute. She had cream colored skin and green eyes. Her auburn hair was cropped close to her head but was still long enough as to show her gender.

She looked at me and we locked eyes for a moment. She instantly looked away giggling. What was with them? Did I have something on my face? I pulled out my phone and checked my reflection. I didn't look that bad. I mean, I was a mess but it didn't show that well. Did it?

I looked at my face a little baffled. How long had it been since I really looked at myself? I don't know but whenever that was must've been long ago, because a stranger was staring at me through the screen of my phone. He had a very long and wide nose with sharp cheek bones and a very strong looking jaw. His golden hair hung in his face down to his eyebrows. His eyes were a steely blue. Cold. Calculation. Revealing no emotion. He wasn't handsome, but defiantly noticeable. I scowled and almost jumped. I didn't want to be noticeable. And when I scowled I looked a little scary. My thick pink lips curled away revealing off-white teeth that almost had the appearance of fangs and my nose crinkling at the bridge. I had also lost all of my baby fat in my cheeks, making me look older.

I put my phone away and started collecting my garbage.

"Uh, hi." A soft voice said from across the table. I looked up in alarm at the girl from the middle of the other two sitting across from me. When had she gotten here? I looked back at the table from which she had came and saw the two remaining girls staring our way, but they seemed to get very interested in their food once they realized I saw them.

"I'm Claire." The girl said. I looked back to her. She was small, a little mousy, but still she was taller than Cassie. Yet she didn't have the air of confidence that Cassie carried with her. Why had I automatically thought of Cassie?

"Uh..." I fumbled thinking of someway out of this. "I'm Tom-" I hesitated. Should I tell her?

"Tom? That's a nice name." She said.

"Um... Look, you're pretty and all but I actually... you see there's this girl-" It wasn't a total lie. Girls do exist.

"Oh." She sounded a little deflated. "I get it. You have a girl friend."

"No!" Why did I say that?! Because I didn't. Did I? "I mean, well not exactly..."

"If you like her then tell her." She said with a small smile. "And tell her she's lucky."

I smiled at her. I didn't know this girl but she had still felt that any girl who would be with me is lucky. It may be a little presumptuous but it was a nice sentiment.

She walked back over to her friends and told them what happened. The one with half of her head shaved glared at me. Claire smiled at me and shrugged.

I got to the book store at about two. It was kind of small but cozy. The only other person in it was a small old man behind the desk. I walked around the store and looked at the books. There weren't as many as would be in say a Barns and Nobel but there was enough stories to fill a lifetime. I grabbed a book that looked good and opened it up. It seemed to be some rehash of the King Arthur stories. I loved knights and dragons and such. I had gotten so entranced by the book that I didn't notice the person behind me until they had put a hand on my shoulder. I grabbed the hand and turned, nearly punching Cassie in the face.

She caught my hand and said, "Well if that's how you really feel I'll just go."

"Cassie!" I nearly shouted.

"Shh!" She hushed me, "You wouldn't want to disturb the other readers." She gave me a smile and hugged me close. Real close. Like, so close I could smell her, close. She smelled nice. Like some fruit that I couldn't place. My heart did circles and my head got fuzzy. When I finally came to my senses I pulled away from her and held her at arm's length, not daring to break apart any more.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

She smiled at me, "I could ask the same of you! Hanging out in a mall. Why if I didn't know any better I might think you were actually normal!" She said the last word like an insult, but with a smile.

I smiled back, "The very idea!"

"So why _are _you here?" She asked.

"You haven't answered me yet." I said. We started walking through the isles.

"Well, I asked you first." She pointed out.

"No you didn't." I said.

"Haven't you ever heard of 'ladies first'?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. You are very right. So you should answer first."

She huffed, "Fine. I was hanging out with Blade a little bit ago and saw you in here. OK your turn." It all came out at once.

"Uh, OK. Well, I had nothing to do today and a lot of nervous energy so..." I made a flourishing motion with my hands, "Ta-da!"

"Nervous energy?" She sounded bemused.

"Don't think too much into it. I always have nervous energy flowing through me. Especially around you." The last part just slipped out.

"Oh really?" She showed me her perfect teeth and leaned in close to me. "Why is that?"

I could feel her hips pressing against mine and I felt the heat of her small figure seep into my already burning body. Our faces were inches away from each other, and I silently willed the space between us to shrink. Her breath smelt of a mixture of tooth paste and coffee. My hands gravitated to her hips and behind her before clasping together in the small of her back. It wasn't until this moment that I had realized that I still held the King Arthur book. I let it drop to the floor and pulled her closer. I lost myself in her eyes much like I had been lost in the pages that now laid at our feet. Inches away. I looked at her lips spread into a smile. Just... inches...

"Oi!" The man at the front desk called, "Don't you kids do that in my store!"

I sighed. "You wanna go somewhere?" I asked.

She smiled, "Sure."

I paid for the book and we just started walking around.

"So what did you want to do?" I asked.

"Well," She started, " we could just walk around."

"Walk... around. And do what?" I asked.

"Just walk and talk." She suggested.

"That sounds kind of stupid." I said.

She glared at me, "Well it's what normal people do!"

"OK, sorry. It just sounds weird to me. Remember I haven't done this before." And I hadn't. From the time I was nine to now I had never really hung out with friends or been on a date. I wasn't quite sure which one this was.

"Never?" Her eyes were filled with sadness. I hate when people pity me.

"Well I was a little busy."

"How about this, we just start walking and see where we end up. We can talk along the way."

"Um, OK. What do you wanna talk about?"

"You! I mean, tell me about yourself. What was your childhood like?" She asked.

"Ha ha, you sound like an interrogator." I laughed.

"Ha, ha. I'm serious. I wanna know what happened to you. How did you get the ring?"

I looked at it on my finger remembering that dreaded night. "I don't really know. I guess it just showed up." I shrugged. We walked out of the mall and were now headed who knows where. I seriously didn't get this.

"Well what about your dad? I mean, I know he..." Her breath caught.

"Died." I said. "He died. I accepted it a long time ago."

"Yeah. Um, so what was he like?"

I hadn't thought of him in a long time. Mostly on purpose. "He was... kind. and caring. He always put me first." I smiled remembering, but my smile soon faded. "And when he died, well it was hard on me."

"What did you do after he died?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. The question filled me with the worst thing ever. Memories. Memories of the Fort. Of the gang, of Tara and Bucky and Jacob and Marie and... Jack. Of all of the crimes we stopped and of the one we would commit to survive.

I forced a smile and looked into Cassie's eyes. What would she think of me when she heard what I had done? What would the Team think? What would Mom and Ollie think? I couldn't tell them.

"Hey," I looked at the theater next to us, "wanna see a movie?"

She looked at the theater confused. "Uh, OK..."

* * *

That was weird. Why wouldn't he answer the question? I thought it was harmless. But as soon as it had came out he went rigid, well more rigid which I didn't think was possible. He always walked with his back straight. But he seemed to get nervous almost.

We walked into the movie theater and he asked me, "So what do you want to see?"

"Oh, uh um." I was so busy thinking about his reaction to the question that I hadn't thought of what movie we were going to see. What was even playing? I looked at the roster: another remake of Romeo and Juliet, some weird horror movie, some racing movie, a movie about an assassin, the Spiderman four movie, the new Star Wars and a baseball movie. I guess the horror sounded the least stupid.

"Uh let's see 'The Triangle'." I said.

"Heh," He chuckled, "Why are all scary movies have titles like 'The House', or 'The Chess Set', or 'The Doll', or 'The Cheese Knife'?"

"'The Cheese Knife'?" I asked. "Really?"

"Yeah. Like '_In a world where cheese has come to life and have developed a taste for human flesh,_'" He said like a voice over, "_'one girl must save the entire world with only her possessed silverware. Cassie Sansmark stars in, The Cheese Knife! Coming to a laptop near you a year before two years after last year!__ In 2D!'_"

"Aren't those voice overs usually for action movies?" I asked.

"What he can't have a hobby?" He asked back.

I burst out laughing. "OK so not 'The Triangle'."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Well it sounded like you didn't want to."

"I never said that. I was just making a joke! It's something I do on occasion."

"Just once or twice." I agreed.

"So yes to 'The Triangle'?"

"Oh god no!"

"What? OK then what?"

"Oh I don't care."

"You're...! You...! You're just...! Uh!" I just walked up to the cashier and said, "Two for... Spiderman three."

"Uhhh I hate superhero movies!" He said.

I looked at him. "Really?! Just really?"

He just shrugged. "It's not my thing."

"OK, how about 'Star Wars'?"

"Yeah, police men from space, that's relatable."

"I... I can't even..." He was a Green Lantern for crying out loud! How wasn't it relatable? "Alright... 'Run'?"

"Sports? Ew."

"'Drift Legends'?"

"Oh please, it should be called 'A Bunch of Guys Overcompensating'."

"Love in Little Italy?"

"Mushy mushy, goo goo? I don't think so."

"'Jack Kang'?"

"I heard that's in Japanese."

"Those are the only movies playing here."

"So which one do you wanna see?"

Think anyone could blame me if I killed him at this point? I mean, I probably could. I've kicked his ass before. I turned back to the ticket guy who looked very scared of getting into this conversation. "Well-"

"Hey, what would you recommend?" Tommy asked the poor man.

"Uh... I just sell the tickets." He mumbled.

"Oh come on you must have at least heard people talking about them as they leave."

"People do seem to really like the Spiderman movie." He offered.

"Yeah, but people are stupid. What does your years of movie-theater-working expertise tell you?" Why was he doing this to the poor man?

"I haven't seen the new one yet, but I liked the old Star Wars..."

"Spiderman." I blurted out. I couldn't help it, the guy was on the verge of panicking. I turned back to Tommy and gave him a look that told him not to argue. "You asked me what I wanted, and I say Spiderman."

"OK then." He smiled at the clerk, "Two for Spiderman my good fellow."

The man let out an audible sigh and gave us the tickets. Tommy paid and we walked towards the snack bar. Halfway there I turned on him. "What was that?" I asked fuming. "Why did you involve the poor guy?"

"Hey I was just making fun." He said throwing his hands up.

"'Making fun'? He was terrified! I mean, really Tommy? Do realize how imposing you are? To normal people you're more than intimidating. You're kind of scary. And to continually hound him with questions-"

He stopped me by putting his hands on my arms. My heart fluttered and I cursed my cheeks for the heat I felt in them.

"I'm sorry." He said in a voice so calm and smooth it could make even Catwoman clip her own claws, "I didn't mean to scare him. Or anger you. I get carried away sometimes. And I'm sorry."

"Uh..." My tong wasn't responding. "I forgleve- forgive you. Now, let's get some popcorn." I turned back to the snack bar for a moment before looking at him again and saying, "You are such a dummy."

The movie was a little boring, and ridiculous. Who ever heard of getting super powers from "radioactive bugs"? Now being the daughter of Zeus was much more realistic. I lost interest maybe half way through. But I wasn't really paying much attention to the movie. I kept sneaking glances at Tommy but he seemed to be actually interested in it. Huh. He wasn't paying any attention to me. This date was terrible. Wait was this a date? We hadn't planned it. But it was just the two of us. But this was random. But he could've said no...

* * *

After the movie we walked out and I turned to face her. The sun was setting somewhere off to my right, and it turned her hair into a beautiful assortment of gold and red and orange. Her eyes sparkled a deep blue against the pink sky. She was beautiful in every way. I just wish I could tell her. Why couldn't I? It was just a few words. It's not as if we couldn't be together was it? But something was holing me back. I couldn't place it but there was something nagging in the back of my head, telling me that I would hurt her.

"I, uh, I had fun." I smiled at her.

She smiled back, which only made her look even more beautiful, "Me too." She reached out and took my right hand in her left. It felt like she had tazed me. She stepped in close and leaned her arm on mine as we strolled down the sidewalk. My head buzzed and my heart fluttered.

"So I was thinking-" Cassie started.

"Uh oh." I said and she hit me playfully.

"I was thinking," she continued, "was this a date?"

Oh lord. Was it? "I don't know. You tell me."A little bit of a dick move but it was all I could think of.

She giggled adorably, "Oh you suck!" She hit me again.

"Ow," I grabbed my arm where she hit me. "Oh god, it hurts so much! I think we're going to have to amputate it! Oh the pain." I dropped to my knees for effect. "Somebody put me out of my misery!"

She just grabbed me by the back of my shirt and held me up. Sometimes I forget she has super strength. But even though she held me as high as she could my feet still touched the ground. "Would you stop it?" She asked.

I smiled. "Do you really want me to?"

She smiled and let me go, but her arms stayed around my neck. We got really close. My hands gravitated to her hips. "Not really." She said so quiet that only I could hear. Once again we were so close that I could smell her. She smelled the same, of some delightful fruit that I couldn't recognize. Peaches? Or maybe pomegranate. But now it was mixed with the buttery smell of popcorn. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead on hers, breathing in my scent. I opened my eyes to see her blushing uncontrollably. I smiled.

"Excuse me, Ms Tomato do you know where Cassie went?" I asked.

"Shut up!" She smiled. I felt her breath on my lips and ached with longing. I couldn't hold back any more. I brought one hand up and cupped her right cheek. I leaned in.

_BZZZZT BZZZZT! _My cell phone buzzed. "Huh," I sighed. I checked it. It was Gar. _"We need 2 talk. Now. major important."_

"I... got to go..." I said pulling away from her. She tried to keep me in place but I broke away from her.

"Oh, OK." She said. "I should get home too. Before my mom worried." She turned to leave but then just ran back and quickly kissed me on the cheek, and then she was gone. It was small. Just a peck. But it was enough. I stared at where she was a moment before. My phone buzzed again. I realized I hadn't breathed since she kissed me. I took a deep breath and flew off back towards Bludhaven.

* * *

I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't.

"Wha-What?" I asked.

"As I said." Nightwing explained to us. "Aqualad is not a traitor, he has been in a deep cover mission ever since he left the Team."

"But... Artemis..." Gar said.

"Aqualad didn't kill Artemis. She joined him on the mission as Tigress." Conner told us. "Nightwing, Blade and Aqualad faked her death to secure Kaldur's position with Manta and the Light."

"Do the girls know?" Mal asked.

"Blade is explaining to them now." Nightwing said. "We decided it was time you all knew."

I was in disbelief. All of the anger, all of the rage I felt for Aqualad, it was all for nothing.

"And when did you find out?" Mal asked Conner.

"Just today." He replied.

"But, if Kaldur isn't a traitor and Tigress is Artemis then why did she kidnap Ma'gann?" Gar sounded really confused.

"Back on the Reach ship, Miss M found Aqualad and thought he had killed Artemis, so she-" I interrupted Nightwing.

"She brain blasted him." I finished.

"Yeah." He continued. "And we assume that she was taken in order to 'fix' Kaldur's mind, without breaking cover."

"Huh." I sighed. I couldn't take this right now. It was to much to take in. "I'm going to bed." I said. "This is just overwhelming."

I walked down stairs and kicked off my shoes. I laid down in my bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I just laid there until long after I heard the others snoring around me. I laid there thinking about the day. I reached up tentatively and touched the spot on my cheek where she kissed me. And for a moment all I could think about was that smell of fruit.

* * *

AN: I had a bit of trouble writing this one but I'm glad how it came out. Hope you liked it as much as I did. And as always, thank you for reading!


	12. Chapter 12: War

AN: Hope you enjoy.

* * *

I sat in an uncomfortable chair with one elbow on the desk in front of me supporting my head as I stared out the window in the back of the class. I sighed. I hadn't been in a school since Dad died. Then this "Wayne scholarship to Gotham North" shows up out of the blue and Mom insists that I go. Wasn't I presumed dead? Can they issue scholarships to dead kids? The commute from Bludhaven to Gotham wasn't that bad and the school was OK I guess. But they did have a dress code which in it'self was off putting. Anything that limits expression and seek to assimilate all children into their code of what's acceptable was a heinous thing.

I thought about many things, right now I thought of the old gang. They had been in my mind a lot recently. I got brief memories, images, smells, sounds, feelings, Tara's smile, Jacob's laugh, the mist of the waterfall outside the Fort, Maria and Jack flirting. I smiled at that one. They never admitted it though, but we all knew they were. The memories were painful and I had to fight not to cry.

"Mr. Crane. Mr. Crane. Mr. Crane!" I looked to see the algebra teacher Ms Huanger looking directly at me with a scowl on her old, sagging face. She pushed a lock of graying hair behind her ear and straightened herself. She might have been attractive once, and may still be to her age group, but to me she resembled a gargoyle. "Just because you are new does not mean that you do not have to pay attention. In fact,if anything it means that you should be paying the most attention."

I didn't answer her. Anything I said would've just offended her more and I did not fancy a trip to the principal's office on my first day. Besides, I was not going to apologies. I had done nothing wrong. So I just stared at her stoically.

"Well if you feel you know the material so well that you need not pay attention, then perhaps you'll grace us with the answer to the question on the-"

"The answer is X equals three i over seven." I cut her off. Math had always come easy to me, and this was rather basic. Well for me.

She was stunned for a moment. When she finally regained her wits she she checked the math and turned a very bright shade of red. "Um, that is... correct." The class erupted in laughter. Ms Huanger tapped her pointer on her desk and everyone quieted down. "Now moving on, Ms Jacobs, would you please answer..."

I zoned out again. I didn't need this. It was pointless.

I looked back out the window at the park. I feel like I had been in this place forever. How did kids do this every day?

I dropped my stuff off at the warehouse and took to nowhere in particular. It was night by now, just passed nine. The air was cold and penetrated me to the bone, but I didn't mind I like the cold. And it was almost refreshing after the day I had. I opened my eye and stared at the moons in the sky. They were beauti- THEY?!

* * *

"There's panic across the country and around the world. What NASA calls 'an encroaching planetary body," is already having a gravitational impact on Earth. Tides have altered, and so-called mini tidal waves have become commonplace. The US Weather Service is advising the populace to stay off the water and move inland from the coastlines, and it appears this is only the beginning."

* * *

Blade, Batgirl, Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl, Wolf, Impulse, Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, Guardian, Bee, Sphere and I all road in the Bio-Ship headed for the second moon in the sky, or the Warworld. It was massive. It wasn't as big as the moon but it was still enormous. Nightwing, Captain Atom and Aqualad were keeping Mongul, the commander of the Warworld, busy by trying to talk to him. While they, and the rest of the League if that didn't work, kept his attention the Team had split into four groups.

We landed in the docking bay and everyone except Blade, Robin and Batgirl got off. They were going to provide air support for the League and Green Beetle.

Superboy pulled up his computer. "Alpha, follow me." He said. Wolf, Arsenal, Wonder Girl and I followed him through the halls. Superboy got on his radio and reported, "Alpha Squad to Watchtower. Green Beetle's schematics are on the money, at least so far. We're en rout to take down Mongol. No commander, and the threat ends."

"Beta Squad is en rout to the key chamber." Blue called over the comm. "We snag the crystal key and the threat ends."

"Gamma Squad is en rout to disable the Warworld's power core." Bee reported. "No power and the threat ends."

"Delta Squad moving into position." Blade said, "Laying down cover fire for surface forces... now!"

I took a deep breath. This was unlike anything we had ever done before. This wasn't protecting a satellite or a covert infiltration. If we failed this time, it was the literal end of the world. We couldn't, we _wouldn't _fail.

Suddenly a train-like vehicle drove to us on the roof. Doors opened on either side of the train and a hoard of red diamond shaped drones filed out and started shooting lasers at us. I held up my arm to block a blast and summoned my cutlasses. I dashed forward and started slicing them in to bits.

"Blue to Watchtower, we've been spotted! The Warworld knows where here." Blue said over the radio.

Wonder Girl deflected the lasers with her bracelets. Superboy ran by my side and smashed a drone to my right. But then out of nowhere Arsenal fired a rocket that hit the ceiling two feet from my head. The ceiling collapsed right on top of me.

"Great support!" I said dusting myself off.

"How about a warning next time?" Superboy asked sarcastically.

"Take cover." Arsenal shrugged.

"Ugh. Come on, we're close." Superboy groaned. He ran around a corner.

I got up and Wonder Girl ran up to me. "Are you OK?" She asked.

"Don't worry about me." I said. "For now, just focus on the mission."

The five of us walked in to a big room that appeared to be completely transparent. The Earth showed beneath us as well as hundreds of lasers being fired at it. Th walls were covered in orange glowing cables and there was a giant chair in the center of the room. Then all the screens turned black and the chair spun around. And there he was. Mongul was a huge man in all black armor with pale yellow skin and red eyes. He stood up and was maybe eight feet tall.

"He is a big one." Arsenal said.

"This is your attack force?" He asked in a voice so deep he'd put a jazz singer to shame. "I'm insulted."

"Learn to cope." Superboy said. And we attacked.

Superboy jumped at him, Wolf charged, Wonder Girl and I flew at him and Arsenal shot an arrow at him. Mongul caught Superboy and punched him across the room. He then grabbed Wonder Girl and threw her. He punched me into the floor and knocked Wolf aside. Arsenal shot a missile at him but he didn't eve flinch. Superboy used the smoke as cover and punched him on his chin. He felt nothing. Mongul grabbed Superboy and smiled cruelly. "Little Kryptonian. So proud of your powers. Did you truly believe yours was the only race to come from a world with a red sun?"

Wonder Girl threw her lasso around him and tried to pull him down but he didn't move. "Wonder Girl no!" I called, but I was too late. Mongul grabbed the lasso and pulled Wonder Girl to him and elbowed her. "No." I flew at Mongul and kicked him in the chest, he didn't move. I brought my hands back and a green battleaxe appeared in them. I swung it with all my might and hit him on the shoulder. I shattered on impact and he backhanded me into the wall. Arsenal shot an arrow at him and it spewed high density polyurethane foam, encasing Mongul. He sighed with irritation. Superboy punched him repeatedly but it just seamed to annoy him. He thew him against the ground and slammed his fists into the foam, cracking it. Wolf ran and latched his jaws onto Mongol's shoulder.

Mongul pulled Wolf off of him and said, "The novelty of this encounter has officially warn off." He spun Wolf and tossed him into Wonder Girl.

"Nap time, ugly." Arsenal fired a bolt at Mongul and he caught it. It shot out green gas that enveloped him. When it cleared he was still standing. Smiling even. "Ah, I like that. It smell like victory." He charged Arsenal but before he could reach him I dashed and threw mu shoulder into his side sending him stumbling. He went to punch me but I dodged back. He tried again but I did the same thing. This time when he went to punch me I went forward and punched him in the gut. He grabbed my arm and hit me against the wall. Damn it! If there was ever a time for a great burst of power now would be it! I looked at Mongul as he was hit by Superboy. Then I looked over at Wonder Girl. She lay unconscious on the floor where he left her. That bastard thought he could just come to Earth and beat up my friends and allies and blow up my planet without a fight? No. I wouldn't let him.

Arsenal tried to fire a rocket at him but Mongul grabbed the end of the barrel and blew the gun, sending Arsenal flying.

"Do you really not understand? Your deaths today at the hands of the Reach are a mercy." Mongol said sitting back in his chair. "My grand laser emitter would have ended your world in a matter of minutes. Another mercy. But it seems that the mercies of Mongul are not appreciated. So we will do this the hard way, and the Warworld will unleash all it's weapons upon the Earth. You're welcome."

"Thanks," I said getting to my knees, "but no thanks." I needed to end this now. I looked once again at my fallen comrades. Superboy. Arsenal. Wolf. _Cassie. _Rage boiled inside me. And I turned that rage into will power. How dare he? How dare he mess with my family? She gave me the will to go on.

Mongul turned to me. "What are you still doing here, Green Lantern?" He asked. "The Reach have claimed this world, you shouldn't be here."

"I've heard that before." I responded. "I guess I'm just stubborn!"

I rushed him and grabbed the front of his shirt. I flew straight up and pulled him up so we were face to face. The dude must've weighed a ton. "Get this, ass-whole!" I shouted, "Earth is off limits! And so are my friends."

I swung him around in a circle, gaining speed as I did so. Then I let him go and he flew across the room, but I was faster than him. I appeared behind him in midair and slammed my fist into his face. He dropped like a rock. As soon as he hit the ground he got back up and and lept at me. I made my battleaxe again and hit him into the wall, this time it held. I flew to him and held him against the wall. I had one hand on his shoulder to steady him and with the other I punched him over and over again. I brought my fist back and punched. Back and punched. I hit him with all the force of my anger. He had hurt the people I cared about and threatened my entire world. He would receive no mercy.

A voice chanted in my head, _"No retreat. No remorse. No mercy. No retreat. No remorse. No mercy. No retreat. No remorse. No mercy."_

Eventually these became my own thoughts. _'No retreat. No remorse. No mercy. No retreat. No remorse. No mercy.'_ And with one final blow I threw him into his chair. He looked like I had barely made a dent.

He smiled. "So... that's how it is. You're not a _Green _Lantern at all." He said.

More of this? Just because I was so young! I went to attack again as everyone started to get back up.

Mongul sighed. "Huh, pests." Drones started filing in and surrounding us. But then the cables glowed yellow and when they got to Mongul's chair he cried out in pain. All of the drone dropped and Mongul got up on very shaky feet.

"He's rocked! Take him!" Superboy ordered.

Superboy ran and uppercut him sending him reeling. Arsenal jumped over him and fired explosives at his back. Wonder Girl ran and punched him into Superboy who did likewise. Finally I took both of my hands and hit him on the jaw. He fell hard.

"Wonder Girl, now!" Superboy called and she tied him up. He was done. But I wasn't. I walked over his unconscious body and grabbed the rope that bound him, hauling him up a few inches and letting his head hang.

"Green?" Wonder Girl asked. How dare he?!

I punched him in the face and he grunted once but was silent after that as I laid into him with blow after blow.

"Green that's enough!" Superboy called. I ignored him. This bastard nearly destroyed the Earth. He would get no mercy from me. "Green stop it!" He tried to grab me but I shrugged him off and punched Mongul again. The image of Cassie out cold from his elbow burned into my mind.

"Tommy!" I felt a hand and my shoulder and turned to see Cassie looking at me worriedly. "It's over." She whispered. I frowned and nodded. I punched him once more and stood up. "Tommy!"

"Stay down, bastard." I spat.

Superboy looked at me with a look of concern but I didn't think too much of it. Mongul deserved all he got. And more!

"All surface weapons have been silenced. Is it over?" Captain Atom asked over the radio.

"Mongul is down and contained." Superboy answered him.

"Nice work Alpha." Blade said, I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I'd love to take credit, but we didn't do it." Superboy informed them. "His own machine stung him. I;m guessing with a little help."

"Woo ho!" Wonder Girl cheered. She jumped with joy and hugged me. I smiled. We did it.

* * *

On the way back to the hangar we had to switch people in order to carry the big guy.

"Hey where's Alpha?" I heard Arsenal say over the radio, probably by accident.

"Trudging along with the Big Bad," Arsenal replied, who must weigh like a metric ton! We're just a couple minutes out."

"How... would you... even... know?" I asked annoyed. "You're... not even... helping!"

"I'm supervising." He said.

"My ass!" I replied.

"Language dummy!" Wonder Girl mocked.

We emerged into the docking bay and I saw Guardian and Bee kissing. I couldn't help it. I said, "Wow, how do I get that reward?" Then Wonder Girl walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Well it'll hold me over for now..." I said cheekily. She started blushing a bit.

"Well the gang's all here." Blue said. He smacked Impulse in the back of the head knocking him out cold and fired a sonic blast that took out Batgirl and Beast Boy. What? What was he doing?

"Blue, what are you doing?" Superboy asked. Blue charged and knocked him into the wall. Oh crap! He was helping balance Mongul. Blue caught him before he hit the ground and flipped him up, trapping Wonder Girl. She tried to get free but he pinned her hands.

"Cassie!" I cried and lunged at Blue. He dodged and kicked me into the door to the airlock. I hit the metal and felt the air leave my lungs. I sat up and shook my head. I looked up and saw Arsenal backing to the wall.

"No, not again." He said.

"Arsenal no!" Bee called. What? What was he doing?

"I will not be taken again!" He shouted and hit the controls on the wall.

I felt a sudden force pulling me back. I tried to fight it but I wasn't strong enough.

"TOMMY!" Cassie cried.

And I was gone. Pulled into the endless blackness of space.

* * *

AN: Don't hate me! A little short and that ending... I will update ASAP. Until then, I'm sorry. And as always, thank you for reading.


	13. Chapter 13: The Hunt

AN: OK after that huge cliff hanger...

* * *

I ran. I ran, and yet It just kept getting closer. I heard that damn voice behind me and looked back.

_"Tommy. Tommy."_

Every time I woke up from this nightmare I forgot it, but as soon as I fell asleep again I instantly remembered all of the other ones. It was always a little different. The first time I was in my old apartment and it tried to kill Cassie. Then I was at the Fort and it made me choose between Tara and Jacob as he held a gun to my head. After that it dropped Mom from the top of the empire state building and I had to catch her without my ring. Every time he looked like me. I don't know who it was or what he wanted or what any of this meant, but I could never save the ones I love in time. I knew it wasn't real. I _knew_! But that didn't stop the terror that filled me when I saw that red glow behind me.

This time I ran through the isles an endless plane as it crashed. I saw Cassie at the front, strapped to a chair. _He _had a knife to her throat. He often chose Cassie. Why? To get to me the hardest. I don't know when it happened but not long ago I realized that whenever I couldn't save Cassie it hurt just a little more. And that was what I wish I could remember most when I woke up, how much I cared for her.

_"That's it Tommy. Just a little more."_ He said psychotically. I knew I had heard his voice before but I still couldn't place it. _"You're not going to let her get hurt are you?"_

"Tommy, please." Cassie whimpered.

"Nnnnaaaaaahhh!" I roared in anger as I went nowhere.

_"Oh, wait. You already did." _He threw the red knife at the emergency exit behind me and I got sucked backward.

I ran even faster but I was slowly losing this fight.

_"Only when you embrace me will you be able to do what is necessary, Thomas. Remember that, if you can."_

"No!" I reached out for Cassie and was sucked backwards out the airlock.

* * *

I awoke as I reentered the atmosphere. My head was heavy and my chest burned from lack of oxygen, but I was alive, despite my best efforts. My eyes were swimming.

"Wha-what?!" I looked around. It didn't look like I was moving. Just floating in space. "What happened?" I though back...

_"Arsenal no!"_

_"I'm will not be taken again!"_

"Arsenal..." I scowled. "Blue!"

I righted myself and got into spread-eagle position. I needed to get out of this. I tried to fly up and out but I couldn't. I looked at my ring. Huh, yeup. It flashed green. How would I get out of this? I thought up something. I hadn't used him in a long time but I guess desperate times...

"Ring buddy, what's going on?" I asked. My voice was torn away from me by the wind.

_"You are in an uncontrolled, rapid decent towards planet Earth." _

"Well yeah. But how do we get out of this? And what happened to all my juice?"

_"The energy in this ring was used to keep it's owner _'Thomas Crane,' _alive in outer space."_

"Damn. Well, I guess that's actually a good thing... Anyway come on, let's just fly away!"

_"Unable to comply. This ring does not have enough energy."_

"Well where will I land?" I asked. Hopefully some pillow factory.

_"On the current trajectory you shall land in the Sonoran Desert." _Squish!

"OK not good." Yay, time to panic! "What can we do? How do I adjust myself to reach the east coast?" I asked.

_"You are at a high enough altitude to alter course to _'the east coast'_."_

"OK good, how? I need Bludhaven Bay to be precise."

_"If the nearest body of water is the desired destination-"_

"No, I need Bludhaven!" I shouted.

Suddenly I knew how to adjust my body. I shifted my hips and shoulders into position and waited.

"Huh, this is taking too long!" I cried after a few moments and pulled my arms and legs in tight to fall faster. I thought about Arsenal and Blue. Those bastards. Arsenal shot me out an airlock and Blue, oh Blue. He would get no mercy. No remorse and no mercy. Before long I reached the Mesosphere and all I could see was red. My clothes were on fire. The friction of my reentry was causing the air to incinerate. I was a flying red and green fireball!

I could start to make out the vaige image of a city below me. I saw New York to my left and Gotham to my right, directly below me was Bludhaven. The water looked like asphalt from this height, and would probably be just as pain full. I needed to break the surface tension. I fell faster and faster until I reached terminal velocity. If I messed this up I'd be fish food.

At the last second I through my shoulders back and hips forward. I took a deep breath and held out my ring and fired the last remaining energy in it, that was keeping my suit on me, at the water. There was a huge boom-splash-sizzle. I felt a tingling sensation all around me. I opened my eyes to see a murky brown all around me. I swam up, but I had gone deep. I started to panic and accidentally swallowed some sea water. Damn it! I kicked and kicked until my legs burned with the effort. I started to think I might drown. But then my head burst from the water and I coughed up some of the water I had swallowed.

"Huh, huh, kluh, kuu, huh." I breathed deeply and begun to laugh. "Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha, ha! WATER!" I splashed around a bit. "Water, water, water!" I was so filled with relief I couldn't think straight. I was hysterical, and alive! I was alive! "Water. Water, water." I was so happy I would've drank it if I hadn't already had my fill. "Water, water, water- Team! Cassie! Arsenal! Blue... Lantern!"

I swam to the dock and climbed up the ladder. I was in such a hurry I was saying the oath before I was even in the door, and it all came out as one word. "Inbrightestdayindarkestnightnoevilshallescapemysightletallwhoworshipevil'smightbewaremypowerGreenLantern'slight!" I touched my ring to the lantern by my bed and instantly my suit appeared on my body. "Yes!" I cried and dashed out the door and back up to the Warworld. I now knew that I could survive in space so I didn't have to worry about that. Besides, I was to busy worrying about Cassie. She had to be OK. I would not be too late again. Not after what happened with Jack. I focused and went even faster. I felt the familiar burn of rage in my gut and heard a lout _CRACK _as I went supersonic. Though I pushed myself to go even faster. Faster. Faster. Faster!

Soon I left Earth behind. I don't know what I expected from flying in space but it was very strange. I didn't feel the rush I had associated with flight on Earth. My breathing got ragged and haggard. Wait, why was I breathing at all? There wasn't even oxygen here. I stopped breathing but I didn't feel the burning pain of suffocation. It was cold, but endurable. I didn't need to breathe! It must've been the ring. It also got a little easier to fly once I was weightless so I went even faster.

I got to the Warworld before I could even blink. I reached the docking bay and pounded my fist into the door. Nothing. I needed to get in! I pounded again. Still nothing. I brought my hands back and pounded over and over again on the door. The Team was in there and they needed me. Arsenal was in there and he needed a beating. I pulled my fist back to hit it again.

_"Tommy! Calm down!" _I heard a voice in my head and stopped dead in my tracks. Could it be? I turned to see the Bio-Ship right behind me and I flew under it to the spot where I knew there'd be a whole for me to enter into. I got to the bridge and saw Nightwing, Blade and... I couldn't help myself. I ran and hugged Ma'gann. "Oh thank god you're OK!" I said. She smiled at me rather sadly.

"I could say the same about you!" Blade interjected. "You were sucked out an airlock last I saw. We just saw you run into the warehouse, charge your ring and poof! You're gone. And at supersonic speeds no less."

Then I realized what I was doing before she entered my head and I turned on Nightwing. "Nightwing!" I shouted. " Blue turned on us and-"

"I already filled them in." Blade said. Oh right, she was on the ship too.

"Oh... OK." I said.

"Miss M, try searching for them telepathically." Nightwing said.

She nodded and we flew around the surface of the Warworld to cover the most surface area. We went back and forth across the Warworld for what seemed like eternity. All the while Cassie and the others could've been being tortured for all we knew.

"This is a waste of time!" I complained. "They can't have gotten too far. We should send in a search party."

"And risk losing more people?" Blade asked. "No. We stay together."

"Anything?" Nightwing asked.

"Huh. No, I'm sorry." Miss M responded. "I can't sense any of them. But the War world is so big they could easily be out of range."

"We've been flying this surface-grid pattern for hours. And you're exhausted. You all are."

"I'm fine. I can do this." Miss M said.

"Of course. But there's no need to overtax yourself so soon after your kidnapping." Nightwing explained.

"We're all fine." I added. "What we should be doing is searching the damn ship!" Banged my fists on the arms of my chair feeling an intense anger grow in me.

"Calm down Green." Blade coddled me.

"No." I stood up. "I will not calm down! The Team is in there somewhere Nightwing. And if we don't get to them soon... well who else will? And he wants us to just take a break?"

"We're not giving up." He said. "We'll start over back where the Team first disappeared. Look for a new lead."

"Huh" I sat back down. "Fine."

"If you think it best." Miss M agreed.

* * *

I flew around the docking bay and watched the scene play over in my head again. Blue's betrayal, Arsenal blowing the airlock, getting sucked out. A shiver went down my spine. I huffed. We should be fanning out and looking for them, not reviewing old clues. I was looking around the upper beams when I heard something coming from down one of the hallways.

"Hello." It was faint, and sounded like a girl. A girl who's first language was not English by the sound of her accent. Japanese maybe? I dashed through the hallway and through a few others to find where it had come from. I heard a few other voices. I dashed around a corner and saw four kids, the ones from the Reach ship. On their knees and surrounded by Reach soldiers. Oh no. I was about to help them but the kid from the video Mom interviewed, Virgil was grabbed by a guard and he smiled.

"Fooled you." An arch of static electricity shot from his hand and grabbed a man-hole-cover near the other kids. It came to life and flew towards the guards hitting one in the head. Then the hispanic kid teleported and the Japanese girl, Edwardo and Asami, launched herself at two guards, knocking them out. Edwardo landed on another guard. Then a giant orange energy-man grew around, Tye I think it was. These kids where Metas!

"Hoo hoo!" Virgil cheered, "Now you gone done woke up the big man!" The Reach guards shot at the giant Tye, but he barely seemed to notice. He swiped them away like dust. These kids could kick some serious ass! Well I use the term "kids" objectively. I was pretty sure Virgil and Tye were older than me, but I still looked older than I was.

A train showed up with more soldiers and Virgil called, "Ed, Sam, Tye, time to go." He jumped on the flying man-hole-cover and they all ran.

I flew over to them. "This way!"

"Who are you?" Virgil asked.

"Human. Now come on!" I lead them back the way I had came and into... another room? I thought it was back the way I had came. "Uh... This way." I flew through a few more hallways but none lead back to the docking bay. Great. Now I was lost too.

"Dude, do you even know where you're going." Virgil asked me.

"I'll tell you when the answer won't make me look like an idiot." I replied.

"Look's like we'll have to wait a while." Tye sniped.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you all escape. What are you even doing here?" I asked.

"We were looking for you and your friends." Ed said.

"Yeah?" I rubbed the back of my neck.

_"We can help you find them." _Sam said. "We can help."

_"Really? How?" _I asked back.

They all looked a bit surprised at me.

_"What?" _I asked.

"Dude, you're speaking Japanese." Virgil told me.

_"I am? Oh, I guess... _Sorry, I guess it's the ring." I held up my hand. "'Green Lantern' and all that." They stared at it in wonder. "Uh anyway, how can you find my Team?" I asked

"With the fa-" Tye was cut off by more soldiers filing in.

"Go time." I said.

"Or, we could run." Virgil offered. I looked at them. They weren't trained and I couldn't cover all of them.

"OK, you're right." I said. "I'll take our flank." They looked at me weird. "The _back._" Oi!

We ran away but, obviously the Reach chased us. They fired at us and I fired back at them. A stray shot hit Ed's skateboard and he was blasted over the side of the platform. I ran to help him but he just teleported back up, knocking some guards down instead.

"And that's what you get for blasting my board!" He called to them.

"Hey, dude, did me know your, uh, 'long-shadow' was laser proof?" Virgil asked as Tye shrunk back down.

"Unh. More like laser resistant." He corrected. "Those beams stung!"

"So how do we find the others?" I asked.

Sam took out a small box from her pocket and said, "Superboy please." A small light appeared on it and it pointed in a direction.

"Well that's convenient." I said more than a little impressed.

"This way." Sam said and took the lead.

* * *

We arrived at a big metal door and Tye bent it open. We walked in and there were rows of pods on conveyor belts hanging from the ceiling.

"Oh man, there they are." Virgil said. I looked and sure enough they were all in pods, about three per, and frozen in some position.

"It looks like they're... frozen." I walked forward and put a hand on the laser screen in between me and Cassie.

"Let's get them out." I said.

"I don't think so." A deep ugly voice said from behind me. I turned and saw Black Beetle standing by the door. "They are in stasis. And you will join them soon enough."

"Guys, I saw this freak take down all these heroes back on the Reach ship."

"Please, don't let that stop you from attacking me." Black smiled and cracked his knuckles. "I could use the exercise."

"Wouldn't dream of it!" I roared. Rage welled within me. I let out a battle cry and I dashed over and feigned an uppercut but when he went to block I dropped low and dove both of my feet into his chest. He stumbled back and smiled at me.

"You have improved, meat." He said. I punched him in the face and when I landed he blasted me with a sonic cannon. "But not enough."

Tye jumped and tried to smash him into the ground but Black flew up and punched him backward. He then fired a huge sonic blast down at Tye. He screamed and his "Longshadow" disappeared.

"Please tell me he did not just take out our big guns in three seconds flat?" Ed asked worriedly.

"Scatter!" Virgil called. But Black took him and Sam out before they could get far.

"So much for exercise." Black said.

"Hey dick-head!" I shot an energy beam at him. He grunted and glared at me. "I wasn't finished!"

He growled and shot a sonic blast at me. I crossed my arms in front of me and a huge shield appeared, deflecting the blast. I took a step towards him, then another, then another. Pretty soon I was charging straight through the sonic attack as if it wasn't there. I got to him and he punched me in the face, but pain was irrelevant at this point. Just a distraction. Which I ignored. I jumped and kicked him in the side of the head. He glared at me and shot one of those giant staples at me. I tried to dodge but it was too fast. It caught me across my chest and pinned me to a wall. I struggled against it but the hold was tight.

Black flew around looking for Ed. "Alright, meat, might as well teleport yourself into a stasis cell and save me the trouble." A laser shot out from somewhere and hit Black, knocking him out of the air. Arsenal dropped in and ran to the door. He shut it just before more guards could come in.

"Gracias amigo." Ed thanked him. "Um, who are you?"

"The guy who'll save your butts if you listen carefully. You can't beat Black Beetle head-on. But keep him off balance and we might just have a chance."

"Arsenal!" I yelled. "Come get me down so I can kill you!"

"You make it sound so tempting." Arsenal said and shot the staple off of me, nearly taking my head off in the process. Black launched himself at Arsenal and Ed but I met him in midair and hit him hard with my shoulder in his side.

"Go!" I called. "I'll handle Black, you get the Team!"

"I've got your back bro." Tye said.

I flew at Black and slashed across his chest with my cutlasses. This time I felt the sword catch the metal of his armor and cut through. Not enough to break skin but it was something. I slashed back across the other way and he shouted in pain. He blasted me in the chest with a sonic attack and I flipped through the air before catching myself.

"I have improved." I said. "You haven't." I pulled both of my hands back and smashed a green battleaxe on his face. He was thrown to one side and Tye punched him back to me. I threw him against a pod and Ed shot him from somewhere behind him. We went on like that for a while. Sam would jump on him and kick off, Ed would shoot him from the shadows, Tye would punch him, I would smack him into a wall, Virgil threw something at him, rinse and repeat. He flew at Sam and I hit him into the ground.

He got up and growled. "I am starting to get annoyed." He aimed at me with his sonic cannon but Tye punted him across the room. He got up and I charged him. He grabbed my ankle and hurled me at Tye, but Sam caught me before I hit him.

"Arigato (thanks) ." I smiled.

"Doitashimashite (You're welcome)." She smiled back. She had one blue eye and one brown eye. It looked weird, but also kinda cute. Her hair was dark and tied back in a ponytail. She was very pretty. But for some reason I felt guilty for thinking this. My thoughts turned to Cassie. Cassie... What was taking Arsenal so long?

Suddenly I heard an explosion. I looked and saw... OK I was going to seriously eviscerate Arsenal with a rusty grapefruit spoon. Mongul lay on the ground out of the pod he was being kept in. On instinct I grabbed Sam in my arms and flew as far away from him as possible.

"Machigatte iru mono (What's wrong)?" She asked.

"Sono otoko wa tsuyo sugiru, wareware wa kare to tatakau shinaide kudasai (That guy is too strong, we can't fight him)." I told her. "Anata ga koko ni anzen ni taizai suru hitsuyō ga arimasu (You need to stay here, safe)."

"Hai (OK)." She nodded.

I flew back over to where Arsenal was and grabbed him by his shirt. "What did you do?!" I roared in outrage.

"I bought us time to get out." He said. He pointed and I saw Black turn to Mongul.

"Mongul, this is all your fault!" Black yelled.

"Reach." Black groaned and charged him. They got so rapped up in fighting each other they didn't notice us.

Sam, Virgil, Tye and Ed joined us and I let Arsenal down. "Stop thinking with your muscles and think with your head." He said. "Now, you guys free the Team. There's something else I need to get."

"Key?" I asked.

"Yeah." He ran off.

Ed shot one of the pods and I punched another, the one with Cassie in it. She collapsed into my arms and I brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at me.

I smiled at her, "Now, isn't this familiar? Although, I'm not sure we were in these exact positions."

"Tommy, you're OK. You dummy!" She said.

"Course." I responded. I noticed Sam looking a little disappointed out of the corner of my eye.

"Flirt later," Virgil said, "we need to leave."

Cassie turned a little red and Arsenal ran back. "Let's go. Move." He called and ran to the door and turned to us. "OK, get ready. There's a squad of reach Reach soldiers waiting for us." He opened the door and we all dropped into ready positions. But when the door opened up they were all out cold. Nightwing, Blade, Miss M and the S-Cycle were on the other side of the door waiting for us.

"Green!" Blade called. "So that's where you went off to."

Arsenal said something to Nightwing but I was too exhausted to even walk now. I stumbled and Cassie caught me.

"All aboard. We're almost home free." Miss M told us.

Nightwing turned to Tye, Virgil, Sam and Ed and said, "I think congratulations are an order. No training, no guidance, and yet you pulled it off. When we get back, after a debrief, there might be a place for all of you with the Team."

"Might?" I asked. "They rocked it!"

"Wow, really?" Virgil asked.

"So now that we saved your butts you're cool with us not being STAR Lab's guinea pigs?" Tye asked.

"Dude, chill." Virgil said.

"Before we head back, we need to talk about Blue Beetle. He betrayed us!" Arsenal told Nightwing.

"Look who's talking!" Blade snapped.

"The last thing I remember was being sucked out an airlock!" I shouted.

"Nearly got us all killed and absolutely guaranteed our capture." Bee added.

"Hey, after eight years on ice, there's no way I was getting grabbed again." Arsenal said. "And in case you hadn't noticed, my escape resulted in you being free now to stand here and complain. So how about a thank you?"

"You're right Arsenal, thank you." Nightwing said.

"What?!" I asked.

"And after we get back to Earth, you're off the Team." Nightwing continued.

"Wait a minute!" Tye protested.

"If it wasn't for Arsenal we would't have rescued anyone." Virgil added.

"That may be, but this isn't the first time he's pulled this kind of stunt. Intentionally endangering the lives of teammates in order to further his own agenda or guard against his own personal demons. It's unacceptable. So until you prove yourself a team player, you have no place on this team. Now let's get out of here. We can discuss this further when we're not behind enemy lines." Nightwing said.

"Sounds like there's nothing to discuss." Ed said.

"See, we don't need your help getting back to Earth or your offer to join the Team. We have our own way of doing things." Virgil explained.

"Come on guys, don't say that." I tried to laugh it off. "You sound like you're mad or something."

They all glared a us.

"What do you say, bro?" Tye asked Arsenal. "Wanna ride with us?"

"Sounds like a plan." Arsenal smiled.

Sam pulled out the device from before.

"Wait is that a-?" Nightwing started.

"Home, please." Sam said. A boom tube opened up under them and the five of them went through it. What was that little device?

"What's wrong?" I asked. "What was that device?"

"A father-box. LexCorp tech." Nightwing said concerned.

"What?" I asked. "Where did they get it then?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion." Blade said.

"We will talk more on Earth." Nightwing said. "For now we need to get back."

I went into the ship and sat against the wall. Cassie came and sat next to me. She looked at me and smiled. She laced her fingers through mine and leaned her head on my shoulder. I leaned my head on hers and breathed in her sent. That same fruit of some kind but this time mixed with the sweet smell of sweat. It would've been off putting if it wasn't her. Plus, I didn't know it was coming from me or her. I looked into her beautiful eyes and was overcome with the biggest feeling of relief I had ever had in my life. And it was in that moment that I realized that I loved her from the deepest part of my heart.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoyed. And as always, thank you for reading.


	14. Chapter 14: Memories

AN: FLAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHHHHHBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCKK!

* * *

**4 Years Ago:**

I ran through the streets of Gotham as fast as I could. I tried to get away but I couldn't tell if I was actually escaping them. It was about six months since I ran away and about seven since my Dad... I looked back to see if I had lost them but in doing so I tripped over a trash can. I tripped and bumped my head against something hard and stone. My head throbbed and I could barely move. I heard a noise and desperately crawled behind a dumpster. I heard footsteps and peered under the bottom.

"Where the hell is he?" I heard a gangster ask.

"That little shit stain!" Another said.

"He thinks he can just steal our pizza?" A third asked.

I laughed in my head remembering as I stopped the car and feigned a broken leg. I had punched the driver in the face and taken the pizza. How was I supposed to know they were going to be delivered to a gang meeting? I was just so hungry. What kind of gangsters order pizza anyway?

"I think he went this way." I heard them leave and I stumbled out from behind the dumpster. I leaned against a wall and breathed heavily. I... couldn't think... straight. I must've... hit head... harder than... thought...

I heard someone shout, "There he is!" There who is? And why do they want him so badly?

Someone grabbed mu shirt and hauled me to my feet. I felt a punch hit my cheek and I grunted in protest. I felt more blows hit me, but I could no longer protect myself. This was the end. I knew it. I was going to die alone in the gutter over pizza.

I heard someone yell, _"Pord mih!"_

Who ever was holding me dropped me. My eyes cracked open and I saw four figures in front of me. The gangsters were unconscious. I couldn't even process the fact that my life had been saved before I blacked out.

* * *

**2 Weeks Later:**

I woke up in a soft white bed with bandages around my head and abdomen. I was wearing a new pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and my ring, no shoes. I sat up a little too quickly. My head spun. I looked around me. There was a table next to me with glasses of water and crackers. I started scarfing down the crackers and drinking the water. As I drained the last of the water I looked at where I was.

I was in some sort of cave. It was brightly lit by a combination of torches and skylights. The ceiling was maybe thirty feet up and covered in murals like the Sistine Chapel, although not as detailed. The ceiling had a circular hole in the center about twenty feet in diameter. There was wooden platforms both hanging from the ceiling and on stilts, they were all connected by stone, wood or rope bridges or ladders or just hanging ropes. Vines were everywhere and were even used in tandem with the ropes. There were also cables hanging from the ceiling in places where they wouldn't get wet. Each platform seemed to have the purpose of one specific room. There were platforms with couches, coffee tables, and TVs. Others had beds and dressers. Some had curtains for privacy. The platform I was on was ten feet above the ground and had a table and a few gurneys tied down to keep them from moving.

I laid back down and tried to remember what happened. I remembered being trapped and surrounded by gangsters, but then what happened? When I tried to think about it my head hurt.

"Oh, you're up." A female voice said from above me. I looked up to see a girl hanging from a vine by her feet. She flipped down and smiled brightly at me. She looked to be about my age. She had raven hair so dark that it almost looked blue in the sunlight coupled with her brown eyes, so filled with mischief, she was beautiful. Her hair hung down from her face in locks and seemed to be about long enough to reach the small of her back. She was wearing a dark black top that fell off of her shoulders and ended halfway down her bicep, revealing her shoulders which were covered in tattoos. She had a jean skirt on with pockets on them and a pair of black stockings on under it and big blue fuzzy slippers that were colored like sneakers and came up to her knees. No kidding, she had slippers that came up to her knees.

"I'm Tara." She said.

"Tommy." I said.

"You feeling better?" She asked. She tilted her head and looked at me with caring eyes.

"Uh, yeah." I said. "Where am I?"

"The Fort."

"What fort?"

"_The _Fort." She corrected. "It's what we call it."

"We?"

"The Gang."

"You're in a gang?!"

"Not like that! More like a club. Or... a family."

"Uh... OK."

She stood and turned to the open space in the center and shouted, "He's up!"

Suddenly I saw shadows moving in random places. And then four people dashed across the bridges at speed's so fast that I couldn't make them out until they were right in front of me. There were two guys and two girls, all of whom looked no older than thirteen. The first boy looked to be of Asian descent. He had pale skin and black hair that had a blue stripe just left of the center of his head and spiked in the front. He had almond shaped, and colored eyes and coppery goggles. He wore a dark blue shirt and jeans with a pair of sturdy looking boots. His face and arms were covered in grease and filth. The next was girl. She had fiery, shoulder length red hair and grassy green eyes with freckles scouring her cheek bones. She wore a t-shirt that had an image of the British Flag and a leather jacket on over it. She had skinny jeans on and a small pair of black sneakers. She sneered. The third, another girl. She looked small and young. Maybe five. She had golden blond hair and blue eyes, much like me. Although, I have darker hair and more grey in my eyes. The last was a boy. He looked to be the oldest. He had dusty brown hair strewn about his head in a messy heap and keen brown eyes that always seemed to be studying me. He had on a crimson button-up shirt and kakkies with red shoes. His skin was very tan and when he smiled at me his teeth nearly glowed. I could tell simply by the sight of him, he was their leader.

"Morning sleeping... well sleeper." The Asian boy said. "So how was the coma?"

"Ignore Jacob, he's just an idiot." The first girl said sitting down next to me.

"Hey." He complained.

"Coma? How long was I out?" I asked.

"Two weeks." The ginger girl said in a British accent. I guess the shirt wasn't just for show. "I'm Marie. And this," She rubbed the hair of the little girl, "is Bucky."

"And I am Jack." The final member introduced himself.

I looked at the rag-tag group of friends. "What happened?" I asked, so confused.

"You were attacked." Tara told me.

"And _we _saved you." Jacob added. "Now our starting fee is about twelve dollars per goon we take down but in this case they were trained professionals so-" He was cut off by Tara punching him on the arm.

"Shut up, Jacob!" She groaned. She turned back to me and smiled. "Sorry, he's just a jerk." She called the last word in his direction.

I nodded slowly and tried to get up. I felt a sharp pain in my head like somebody drove a railroad spike in my brain. I groaned and fell to my knees. Tara knelt down next to me and put a hand under my arm. She helped me back into bed and said, "Don't do that again, OK?"

"What?" I asked.

"I'm your doctor, I'll tell you when you can go." The nice smile she had earlier had vanished into an angry line.

"Wait but-" She smacked me across my face to silence me. I stared at her in surprise.

"I hate to repeat myself." She looked at me with a hard, but not cold, glare. I nodded slowly to show that I would comply. Her smile returned and she said, "Great! I'll bring you something to drink."

"Could I have some food?" I asked.

"No."

"Bu-" She slapped me again.

"You're not ready for solid food again yet. So for now, it's smoothies."

I the others all left with her. All except Jack, who was staring at me with a disconcerting look. He nodded to me and left. He seemed deep in thought. I was too. How had these kids saved me from armed gangsters? And what did they want with me? Did they know about my ring? Were they sent from Oa to take it back? I couldn't take the chance. As soon as I could move again, I was out of here.

* * *

**1 Month Later:**

I was up and walking again but whenever I tried to fly,when the others weren't looking of course, I still got a splitting headache. This place was weird. I hadn't seen a single adult since I got here, or any other kids other than the original five. And sometimes they would randomly leave and be gone for hours. And when they returned they always looked so horrible. Right now Jack, Jacob and Marie were gone somewhere. Tara was giving me a tour of the Fort. As my doctor, she had control over all of my time. I zoned out a bit and smiled as I noticed Bucky peeking around the corner at me. She was the only one who seemed to avoiding me, though out of shyness or malice I didn't know. But she was adorable. Her hair cut scraggly and her over sized clothes. It was obvious that she was trying to look older but it only made her look cuter. She had been following us for a while and I was sure Tara had also noticed. She wasn't that good at stealth.

"And this is our training room." Tara told me.

I looked around. It looked like a combination of a dojo ND gym. The floor was springy and made me bounce as I walked. There were weapons everywhere, on racks, hanging from the walls, even strewn about the floor. There were also sparing dummies and other equipment.

"Why do you need a training room?" I asked confused.

"Well, at the risk of over stating the obvious, to train." She smirked. "In other words, easy exercise."

"Aha... And you use swords?" I asked holding up one. It was heavy. It looked like a pirate sword. Cool, but ridiculous. "Why not just use guns?"

"Because guns are for killing, which we don't do." She said. "Swordsmanship is an art form."

"Whatever." I didn't get it.

Suddenly I heard foot steps and turned to see the three concurring heroes returning home. They looked awful. Haggard and beaten. Tara took in a sharp breath and turned to me. "I-I need to check on something." She ran off to go and help them and called back, "You can get back on your own right?"

"I'm good." I called back. I looked at the weapons around me and smiled. I had found my way out.

* * *

That night while everyone else was asleep I slipped out of bed and looked around. I saw the last light flicker out as the last person went to sleep. I reached under my bed and grabbed my bag. I snuck across the bridges as quietly as I could. I slowly made my way along the path I had memorized that morning. I snuck to the "kitchen" and raided the pantry of most of the nonperishables and canned goods. I grabbed a can-opener from a drawer and hurried to another platform, this one only about three feet by three feet. There was a hole in the center with a rope that came down from a higher deck and dropped into another. I grabbed the rope and took a deep breath. This was the hard part. I had to climb up it to get to the gym. I reached up with my other arm and grabbed the rope. I hauled myself up and almost fell back down. Pain shot through my back and head. It felt like someone shoved a railroad spike in my brain. I gritted my teeth and laced the rope around my leg. I squeezed the rope between my legs and used my thighs to support myself as I reached higher. A whole new wave of pain shot through my head and back. It felt like i was being torn in half. I reached up again and pulled with all of my strength. I got to the top and laid out flat on the floor for a few moments. But I had to keep moving. I got up and kept walking.

Soon I felt the soft spongy mat under my feet. I needed a way to defend myself. But what should I use? Maybe a knife? Or maybe a quarter staff? Finally I decided on a sword. It was simple and easy to use. I found my way to the barrel of swords from before and grabbed the first one I saw. I started to leave when I got slapped off of the platform, falling the ten feet to the next platform. I got up and saw Tara standing right before me.

"I told you that I hate to repeat myself." She said with a hard stare. "I am your doctor, and I will tell you when you can leave!"

I raised the sword and held it out towards her. It was a katana, a two handed Japanese curved sword with a three foot blade and a one and a half foot handle with a spacer in between. It was heavy. Really heavy. I had been train in the basics of sword fighting in karate but I had never held a real sword before. I energized my suit and the sword became easier to heft. She didn't even flinch.

"You're not surprised by the suit?"

"I've learned to cope with surprise."

"What? Never mind. Look, just get out of my way. I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh please." Tara scoffed. _"Dorws ot em emoc!" _A sword flew out from nowhere and landed in her right hand. It had a one-handed handle and a blade about two and a half feet long that was doubled edged.

"What?!"

"I'll make you a deal," she offered, "if you can beat me in a one-on-one fight,you can leave."

I was so confused. "What-?" Before I could protest farther she lunged forward.

She knocked my sword away and elbowed me in the chest. I grunted and stumbled back. She sliced across my chest and even though my suit protected me from any real damage, it stung! She lept at me and drove her knee into my chin. I fell back on my butt and groaned. She stuck the tip of her sword on my face.

"You're done." She said.

I glared and slapped the flat of her blade. I got up, taking a defensive stance. I looked into that hard gaze of hers. She would not hold back on me. I stepped forward and tried an overhead strike to her left shoulder. She held her sword in it's path and mine just bounced right off her's. She spun around and jump kicked me in the jaw and I fell to my hands and knees. I tried to get up but she brought her sword down on my back, driving me into the ground. She sat on me and whispered in my ear, "Don't you get it? We're trying to _protect _you!"

I rolled over and kicked her off of me. She landed gracefully as I got to my feet. I gripped the sword with both hands and charged her. I went for an upward slash from hip to shoulder but she just stepped left, out of the way. I tried to cut across her collarbone but she ducked. I tried to cut her in half but once again she stepped back. I tried to go for a shallow cut along her stomach but she flipped right over the blade. I tried taking her legs out from under her but she jumped and landed on my sword, pinning it to the floor. She kicked me in the face and flipped back. I lifted my sword again, ignoring the intense pain. I ran and swung my sword high over head for a powerful strike to her forehead but she caught my blade with hers and we locked guards.

"Was it really that bad here anyway? Was it my cooking? I mean, I know I'm not the best but-"

"What do you mean protect me? Protect me from who?" I cut her off.

"Like you don't know!" She angled her sword so that mine slid right off of her's and slammed her elbow into my face. I recoiled holding my nose and she placed her cold blade against the skin of my neck. "Just stop fighting, it's pointless."

I snarled and drove the pommel of my blade into her hip. She squealed in pain and backed up. I turned to face her and she glared at me. She took a step and tried to cut me across mu chest but I used the tip of my sword to deflect the attack. I started to advance, using the extra reach of my blade to my advantage. I pressed her forward but still I didn't get in any hits at all. But I still pressed on. She either dodged or blocked all of my attacks. Finally I pressed her back to the edge of the platform. I held my sword up high over my head to deliver a finishing blow but before I could she put the tip of her sword to my nose.

"How do you expect to beat _any _of them if you can't even beat a _ten year old girl__?!_"

"You didn't beat me, you cheated. You fought dirty!"

"Do you expect anyone to fight fairly in a real fight? They certainly won't."

"Who are 'they'?" I didn't understand what she was saying.

She looked at me a little softer now. "You... you don't really know?"

"No!"

She lowered her sword and looked at me. "Where do you think we go when we disappear?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, shopping!"

"We go and we help people." She said. "In the way only people like us can."

I looked at her weird. "'People like us'?"

She looked at my sword and said, _"Eb enog!"_ The sword ripped from my hand and flew back to where I grabbed it from. I stared at her in wonder. "We especially target one group of people, the Hidden Fist. It's a group of dark magicians who use their power to try and rule the world. All they love making others miserable. And somehow, it makes them more powerful."

"Dark magicians?"

"They are an ancient race, once thought to be extinct but recently they've been more active. And they have recruiting more people, each about as powerful as a member of the Justice League."

I went wide eyed. This was too much to take in. "But, what does any of this have to do with me?" I asked.

"Well, for reasons unknown to us, they're after you. That is how we found you. We did save you that night, but not from the gangsters. A couple members of the Hidden Fist grabbed you and take you who-knows-where. We stopped them."

I thought for a moment. Could I trust her? I couldn't think of a reason for her to lie to me and they all had taken good care of me over the past month. I looked her in the eyes. If they wanted me dead, they would've killed me by now. "OK, I trust you. But I want in."

She smiled at me. "Ha, no. You'd get torn to shreds in a moment."

"That's why you're going to train me!" I smiled at her.

She stared at me. "Uh, what?"

"I want to know why they want me and I've got a feeling you all do too, so let's team up. With me on your side you'll have another member and better chances. And once you train me, I'll be an even bigger asset."

She thought for a moment. "Well... you make a good case. But I can't."

"Oh come on!"

"No I mean, only our leader can accept new members and that's Jack."

"So let's go ask him." I suggested.

"No need." Said a voice from above us. I looked up and saw Jack sliding down a rope and land right next to Tara.

"Look, I can explain." I started.

He held up a hand silencing me. "I saw everything. And I think it's a good idea."

I smiled. "Great! I promise-"

"But, I agree with Tara. You'd get torn to pieces in a moment with the way you just fought. So, it'll be Tara's job to teach you to fight for real. And until she says that you are strong enough, you will remain here. Agreed?" He looked to Tara and she smiled.

"I think that's fair."

"Good. So, Tommy," He clasped my forearm like a knight, "welcome to the Gang."

* * *

AN: OK so I thought I'd actually explain some of Tommy's past and BTW, PrettyKittyLuvsU I hope you don't mind me using you're idea of the "dark magicians" I just thought it worked perfectly with my plans. And as always, thanks you for reading!


	15. Chapter 15: Intervention

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

**Present Day:**

"Tommy. Tommy. Tommy, you need to wake up." I heard Cassie's voice.

My eyes fluttered open. I was in the Bio-Ship with everyone else. I must've fallen asleep on the way back from the Warworld. I looked to my left. Cassie was snuggled up to me with her arms wrapped around mine.

"We're back." She smiled.

I smiled back. I didn't want to get up, but I had to. I got to my feet and stretched, hearing my joints pop in protest of the action. For the record, I do not recommend sleeping in the corner of a Martian space-ship. I cracked my neck and walked out of the ship.

We were in the holding bay for the Bio-Ship, which was really just the basement of the Warehouse. We walked on to the freight elevator and I cringed. I really hated this thing. Nightwing pressed a button and the whole cart jumped and rose back to ground level. For not the first time, I wished this thing had a railing. The elevator made it back to the ground floor and I jumped off.

Bart ambushed Nightwing at the computer and said, "Look, I know this missing key is important, but we need to focus on-"

_"Blue Beetle." _There news reporter interrupted him as Nightwing turned on the computer. _"The so-called Reach hero has dominated this news cycle with UN Secretary General Tseng announcing his plan to present Beetle with the International Metal of Valor for saving the Earth from the Warworld." _Nightwing paused the recording.

"That sure is a lot of good press for a traitor." Robin said.

"He's claiming to have stopped the Warworld?" I asked.

"Hey, don't blame Blue." Bart defended him. "He's just as much of a captive of the Reach as we were. We have to set him free. You know before he conquers the Earth and enslaves all of mankind."

"Yeah that is the preferable option." I added.

"Hey, I'm with Bart on this one." Cassie said. "Jaime's in there somewhere and he probably feels terrible."

"Huh," I sighed, "You're right. I want him back too."

"We all want him back." Nightwing added.

"I may just have a way to get him back." Batgirl told us with a smile.

"How?" Nightwing asked.

"Well first off, we need to call Zatanna..."

* * *

"OK Beta remember," Nightwing spoke to Beast Boy, Robin, Bee, Wonder Girl and me over radio as we flew towards our destination, "this is first and foremost an infiltration mission. You will fly to Bialya and infiltrate in the cave which holds the ruins of the Blue Beetle temple and wait for the signal from Alpha to move. You are going to be reinforcements so, God permitting, you may not even be need. Once again, Robin is team leader."

"Yeah, yeah. You told us all before we left." I said.

"Just a reminder Green Lantern." Nightwing said, "Nightwing out."

We flew over the deserts of Bialya, me carrying Robin and BB morphed into some kind of bird. I was so nervous. And could you blame me? This mission was unlike any other. We were going behind enemy lines and were just going to wait there. It was so risky.

We landed just across from the cliff with the hangar. Robin took out a pair of binoculars and scoped out the opening. We were in luck. There were no guards watching the door at the moment.

"OK, now. Go!" Robin said.

We flew in and hid among the stalagmites. Or stalactites... whichever one is on the floor. Anyway, we took up position near the shrine that Batgirl showed us. Far enough away so that we weren't spotted but close enough to get a good look.

"Well, now it's a waiting game." I said.

Robin took up first watch. I sat down on a broken stala-whatever and BB sat across from me and Bee next to him. Wonder Girl sat nest to me. But she didn't do anything. We couldn't. We were on a mission and couldn't let our personal feelings get the way.

We sat there waiting for something to happen for a couple hours. It was surprising how boring it was behind enemy lines. In fact the most exciting thing that happened was that Cassie's leg would brush up against mine every now and then. But eventually something did happen. All of the soldiers started running over to the entrance and soon after we heard shooting. I got up to go help but Robin held up his hand and stopped me.

"We have to wait for the signal." He said. "Until then we trust Alpha to handle it."

I nodded but didn't sit back down. Instead I walked over and looked out over the ruins, waiting for something to happen. Soon Zatanna, Rocket, Batgirl, Impulse and, in a force bubble, Blue walked into the center of the temple.

"Here." Zatanna said.

"You, uh, sure you got the power for this?" Impulse asked.

"Me? No." She answered. She walked up the steps to an alter. "But I'll summon it from those who do." Blue and Rocket floated over to her. Zatanna started chanting something backwards and floated into the air.

Suddenly Green Beetle flew in from nowhere and shouted, "They all die now!"

But before he could attack, Supercycle flew into him and knocked him out of the air. I had to hold myself back. Rage built up inside me at the mere sight of him.

"Guys, this is is all on you." Rocket called. "I still got my own Beetle to hold. And Z's smack in the middle of her mystic trance."

"Oh, great. Not like our tushes haven't been kicked by one Beetle already." Impulse complained.

"But this Beetle comes with his own personal kryptonite. Go." Batgirl said as she threw a grenade at Green. It exploded and started a fire.

"Gone!" Impulse ran around the fire and caused it to spread around Green. "Ha! Crash! Those Martians really can't take the heat." He joked.

"No. But stay alert. He has other skills to compensate." Batgirl explained.

Green appeared behind them and fired a sonic attack at them. They shouted and were launched away.

"Now! Go!" Robin called.

In an instant I was on him. I threw my shoulder into him and he fell forward. I raised my hands and a battleaxe appeared in them. I went to attack him but he fired his sonic cannon at me. I was thrown backward. I regained my balance and saw a little lizard land on Green's head. Before he could react, Beast Boy turned into an elephant and crushed him. He trumpeted in victory and I laughed to myself at the sight of the Beetle trapped under BB. But he just grabbed BB and lifted him off himself. His hands formed into pincer-swords.

I charged him, cutlasses held high, and we locked blades. He glared at me intensely but I just smiled. Bee grew out of almost nothing in between us and zapped him in the face. He recoiled.

Wonder Girl flew out and threw her lasso around him. Robin swung down and said, "You can thank us later." He kicked Green in the face and knocked him down.

Green shot a sonic blast at Wonder Girl, throwing her back.

"Wonder Girl!" I shouted and dashed forward. I punched Green in the face and his head bounced against the ground. I grabbed the other end of the lasso and spin him around. He grunted and tried to aim his sonic gun at me but before he could get a clear shot I smashed him against the ground.

Zatanna chanted something and a little beetle figurine flew from the main obelisk in the center of the ruins and landed on her head. A giant glowing blue Egyptian looking woman appeared behind her.

"Wicked." Rocket and I said at the same time.

Zatanna and the woman said some chant together and the ruins started to fix them selves and glow blue. The force bubble around Blue disappeared and Rocket flew away.

"Fools!" Blue shouted.

"You will all-!" Green added.

"Die!" They shouted and fired a plasma blast at Zatanna. Bart grabbed the lasso and threw him on the alter with Blue. There was a blue light so bright I had to avert my eyes. When I looked back I saw Zatanna falling out of the air. I ran forward and caught her.

"Zatanna, you OK? Did it work?" I asked. Green and Blue stood up. "Or are we back to square one? Who controls the Beetles?"

"Let's find out." She said. She said some spell and the Beetle's suits folded up into their scarabs. "It worked. Jaime and B'arzz O'oomm are back in control of their own bodies."

"It's true." Jaime said. "I can feel it. I'm free of the Reach. For real this time."

"You're one hundred percent sure?" Batgirl asked. "Because we've been through this before."

"I'm certain of it." Zatanna confirmed.

"Reading no external signals since Zatanna worked her mojo. Neither Beetle is in contact with the Reach." Robin agreed.

"H-H-Hey! _Hermano__, _congrats." Impulse said.

Jaime hugged Zatanna. "Thank you." He stepped back and said. "Oh, right like you're happy about this."

"I am. I swear!" Impulse defended.

"You know, I believe you." He smiled.

"Of course you do. Up high." The two boys high-fived.

_"It has been so long." _B'arzz said in our heads. _"I had all but forgotten the sensation of controlling my own body. My gratitude knows no bounds."_

"Uh, that's great. But Queen Bee's goons are waking up." Bee warned.

"Which means, it's time to go." Batgirl said.

On the flight back I soared flying backwards at the front of the pack. Impulse, Robin, Zatanna and Batgirl flew in the Supercycle. Wonder Girl flew next to me and smiled at my stupidity as I flipped through the air like a five year old.

"So spill. How did you know how to cure us?" Blue asked. "That temple wasn't even in the Reach's database."

"Bumblebee and I first came across it months ago on another mission." Batgirl told him.

"That's also where you found me." I pointed out.

"Unfortunately." Wonder Girl joked.

"Hey!" I complained.

"Anyway," Batgirl continued, "I couldn't help noticing the Blue Beetle imagery and recorded a holographic file of the symbols and hieroglyphics. Dr Fate was able to translate the glyphs, which revealed a mystic ceremony the ancients used to cleanse the scarab of Reach control."

"That's why my scarab was off-mode when I found it." Blue exclaimed.

"Because the ritual used magic of human origin Fate, a Lord of Order,could not perform it. So he prepped me instead." Zatanna said.

"Meanwhile, Batgirl and I got with the hacking." Robin said. "Starting with the computer files of the previous Blue Beetle, the late Ted Kord. Ted's files revealed that an archeologist named Dan Garrett first discovered both the temple and the scarab in 1939. It fused with him the way it fused with you. But Dan assumed it was some mystic artifact. And he used it to become the first Blue Beetle of modern times. When Dan passed away, he left the scarab to his protege, Ted Kord."

"But Kord quickly realized the scarab was alien technology." Batgirl continued. "Since he wasn't about to let an alien device fuse to his spine, he locked the scarab away."

"But Garrett still inspired Ted to become the second Blue Beetle, even with no superpowers." Blue thought.

"I hear those are optional." Robin smiled. "Anyway, Ted suspected the Light wanted the scarab back in play. He tried to stop them from stealing it and paid the ultimate price."

"That's were you came in." Batgirl finished.

"Guess I wasn't exactly what the Light or the Reach had in mind." Blue said. "But why keep all this from me?"

"Because it took months for me to learn the ritual, not to mention configure the ancient Bialyan incantations to work in concert with my magic" Zatanna explained.

"And you couldn't risk letting the Reach know the temple existed until you were ready." Blue said.

"Now you're getting it." I said.

Blue flew over to Impulse and said, "You managed to keep your mouth shut? You?"

"Hey, making sure you stayed a hero was the main reason I came back to the past. So I was motivated to take my mouth off-mode. Don't you get used to it, now!" Impulse replied.

"Aaaaaaaaand the miracle has ended." I said.

Batgirl called Nightwing and reported everything.

* * *

AN: Well last two episodes! And as always, thank you for reading.


	16. Chapter 16: Summit

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

I stood hidden in the dark as we waited for the signal. Wonder Girl, Impulse, Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy, Beast Boy, Robin and I were all disguised as enemy soldiers. We were in a cave in Santa Prisca, setting up a sting operation against the Reach and the Light. We in a sort of high-tech ninja outfit. I was currently hidden in an off shooting cave from the main chamber where the meeting was to take place in with Wonder Girl, Robin and Impulse. We had split up into groups to ovoid detection. I peered around the corner to listen in to the conversation. I crouched low, trying to make as small of a presence as possible if not none. Wonder Girl was at my shoulder. Her face was covered so the only way I knew it was her by her smell. That ever present mystery fruit. This time it kind of smelled like strawberries. Or peaches... or watermelon...

I was so wrapped up with Wonder Girl's sent that I hadn't even noticed that the meeting had started. The members of the Light: The Brain, Monsieur Mallah, Ra's al Ghul, his body guard, Deathstroke, Vandal Savage, Black Manta, Kaldur and Tigress; met with the Reach: The Ambassador, Black Beetle, The main scientist and scores of Reach soldiers. Huh. Not all of the Light showed up. Queen Bee and Lex Luthor didn't show and Klarion could show at any moment with a teleportation spell. But still if this went well, we could cripple the Reach and nearly destroy the Light.

"Ambassador." Savage greeted.

"Savage." The Ambassador responded.

"As head of security for the Reach, I must insist that no masks be worn at this summit." Black Beetle said pointing at Black Manta.

"Simply because you insist is no guarantee." Manta replied.

"Manta, if you wouldn't mind." Ra's said. It was obviously an order. "After all, we are among friends."

Manta gave a final growl in defiance but begrudgingly complied. As did Deathstroke and Tigress. I looked at the assassin in wonder. I still couldn't believe it was really Artemis. She looked nothing like her. Well, I guess that was the point.

"Satisfied?" Ra's asked with a smile. Finding nothing else to complain about, Black just groaned and let the Ambassador take the floor.

"Excellent." He smiled. "Then with these formalities out of the way-"

"Let us begin." Savage finished.

"And the rest of the Light?" The Ambassador asked. "Won't they be joining us?"

"Our more public members are occupied conducting damage control to mitigate your recent defeats." Ra's explained.

"And in any case, we are sufficient." Savage added.

"Fine. I know you called this summit but the Reach has come with grievances against the Light. Please explain how the young Earth's champions were allowed access to the Bialyan scarab temple under your control." The Ambassador demanded.

"If I may respond?" Kaldur piped up.

"No, you may not." Black shut him down. "Manta, keep your whelp-meat silent."

"Beetle, your insolence grows progressively less charming." Manta snapped.

"My friends," Savage intervened, "I think we can all agree that in recent days no one has done more, sacrificed more, for both the Light and the Reach than Kaldur'ahm. That is why he was entrusted with security for this summit and why he is entitled to a voice here." And why we were able to get in...

"Of course. He may speak." The Ambassador agreed.

"Thank you, ambassador." Kaldur continued, "We acknowledge your concerns over the actions of my former team. But you must acknowledge the Light could not have known the significance of the temple or that ancient Earth magic could overcome Reach technology to free Blue Beetle and Green Beetle from your thrall. If the Reach has been more forthcoming about how long ago the scarab was sent to infiltrate Earth with a Beetle warrior, the Light might've made the connections to the temple and certainly would've provided better security for it."

"I told you, I wanted to study how Blue Beetle's scarab had crashed prior to putting it back on mode. If you had followed mt advice, we would've known about the temple and-" The Reach's head scientist was cut off by a look from the Ambassador. "Apologies, I spoke out of turn."

"No, my dear." Manta said. "You were correct to call your master's tactics into question. The Light has provided everything the Reach required, and you aliens have let it all slip away."

"I don't believe this is a productive direction for our discussion." The Ambassador tried to retract the conversation.

"No?" Ra's questioned. "Your public approval ratings are at a record low, as are sales of the Reach drink which you had hoped would enslave the populace."

"You allowed the young heroes you kidnapped to be rescued to by the very teenagers whose matagenes you enhanced." Savage added.

"After allowing their escape as well." Manta chimed in.

"Worst of all, Blue Beetle and Green Beetle have slipped from your grasp and fallen into the hands of the enemy, the Justice League." Kaldur finished.

"Rest assured, both Beetles will soon return to the fold. In fact, Black Beetle has been summoned to Earth from his post guarding access to the key chamber on the Warworld-"

"To kill Blue and Green." Black finished the Ambassador's thought.

"So that their scarabs may be reset and installed upon new host bodies, that will forever be slaves to the Reach." The scientist lady said.

"So do not question us on that score, or any other." Venom dripped from the Ambassador's voice. "Remember, the Earth is now the property of the Reach. And per our original agreement, the Light is merely our favored agents amongst the humans."

"Show the proper respect or suffer the consequences." Black said.

"No agreement exists that makes a slave of Black Manta." He said stepping forward.

"No agreement exists that guarantees the life of Black Manta." Black met him in the center of the cavern.

"Manta guarantees that himself." He sniped. A miniature rocket launcher appeared on his shoulder and Black responded with a plasma cannon on his chest.

"It seems we are at a stand off." Ra's said.

"No. We don't." Black punched Manta. Deathstroke and Tigress were on him immediately. They berated him with attacks, Tigress using a sword and Deathstroke a staff. They seemed to have the upper hand but the Reach soldiers started advancing. Tigress was knocked into Ra's and she muttered her apologies. He seemed lost in some trance. Tigress took out her crossbow and fired a couple bolts at the soldiers. They hit and spewed high-density polyurethane foam, trapping four of them. Manta charged Black but Kaldur got between them.

"Enough!" He said, "We are allies, not enemies. Any conflict between us only benefits our true opponents: the Justice League and their sidekicks." God, I hate that word.

"Kaldur'ahm is quite correct." Savage agreed.

"Agreed. We must not allow petty disagreements to drive a wedge between us." The Ambassador said. "Gratitude, Kaldur'ahm. Stand down warrior."

"Ambassador-" Black protested.

"Stand down." Black growled and shot his sonic cannon at the trapped soldiers, freeing them.

"Should we not be concerned that Superman, Batman, The Lanterns and the rest will soon return to Earth and once again sway public opinion to their sides?" Kaldur asked.

"Superman and those accused with him will never leave Rimbor. " Savage proclaimed. "The attack we forced them to make on that world, plus a few well-place bribes, has guaranteed their convictions."

"And the Green Lanterns are forbidden by Guardian treaty from returning to Earth now that we've convinced UN Secretary Tseng to welcome us here." The Ambassador explained. Is that what everyone keeps telling me about? That's why I wasn't supposed to be allowed to help save my home? Well screw that! I was staying till the end. "As for public opinion, I wouldn't be concerned. Though the tide has turned to a certain degree, it would be a simple matter to build on the foundation of half-truths we have already used to discredit the League in order to... discredit... them... again..."

He was interrupted by Ra's al Ghul walking up to Tigress. "Great one?" She asked. In one fluid motion he grabbed her necklace and ripped it off of her, exposing her as Artemis.

My breath caught in my throat. I felt Cassie's hand on my shoulder. I grabbed it, hoping none of the other guards could see.

"Artemis." Savage growled.

"I-I don't understand. I thought Artemis was dead." The Ambassador stuttered.

"So did we all, but it seams Tigress is Artemis." Savage pointed out.

"This is a glamour charm." Ra's explained. "Created, I'd wager, by Zatanna or Dr Fate, to hide Artemis's true identity."

"But, Kaldur'ahm killed Artemis." The Ambassador said. "If she lives, and in disguise as his lieutenant, then that means-"

"That means, Aqualad duped them all," Black said. "Including his own father."

"Huh," The Ambassador sighed. "Kill them both." No!

"No!" Manta ran to face Black, "You will not kill my son!"

"He's right." Deathstroke said. I heard two gun shots and saw Deathstroke holding a smoking gun. "The Light takes care of it's own." He said coldly.

"Kaldur." Manta bent over and held his son.

"It is too late, father. I have already... won." Kaldur dropped some device and a holographic projection of him appeared.

_"If you are watching this, then your summit is truly over. The Light and the Reach deserve each other. Both sides play at being partners, but the Reach believes the Light to be their naive tools of conquest, when in fact the Light has manipulated the Reach from day one."_

"Shut this off." Savage ordered Deathstroke.

"How?" He asked.

_"It the Light that brought Earth to the Reach's attention by sending the Justice League to Rimbor. The Light set their trap, and the Reach snapped at the bait fulfilling the Light's desire to thrust our world into the galactic spotlight. Part of their perverse survival-of-the-fittest scheme for the planet which they believe will transform the Earth, and the Light, into the eventual rulers of the Milky Way. Though the Light made a deal to help the Reach take the Earth, they have also sabotaged the Reach's efforts. They kept the enhanced meta-genes out of the Reach's hands. They added a neutralizing agent to the Reach's drink so Earth's population would not become servile. They turned public opinion against the Reach. and they intentionally allowed the Team to access the scarab temple to cleanse Blue and Green Beetle. So you see, any agenda either side imagined they shared was naught but a carefully crafted illusion. I trust I have shattered that illusion, as well as whatever remains of this sorry alliance. Good night."_

"Kaldur... Kaldur what have you done?" Manta asked.

"He has in death done more to damage my plans than any living creature has wrought in fifty thousand years." Savage said. He didn't look a day over forty thousand. Maybe a week. "I'd be impressed if I wasn't so-"

"Rraaaaaaahhhhhh!" The Reach Ambassador bellowed in anger. "You humans are a pestilence and a plague! You dare to sabotage us? Dare betray us? Have you forgotten who controls the Warworld? The Light is fortunate we do not carve up your planet as we speak!"

"That would indeed impress, as I have the Warworld's crystal key." Savage retorted.

"That is all I needed to know." Kaldur said once again standing up. Cassie's hand squeezed mine. I gave her a squeeze back. Even though er knew it was fake, it was still stressful.

"Kaldur, you're-?" Manta stuttered.

"Alive, yes." He responded.

"If you would?" Artemis asked holding a hand out to Ra's stunned face. "Huh, and I always heard the Great One was such a gentleman."

"Impossible." Savage gaped. "Deathstroke killed you both!"

"Just for a little while." Deathstroke said. "After all, I wouldn't want to do any permanent damage-" He morphed and shifted back into Miss Martian, "to my best friends. Not when a little misdirection and Hollywood special effects will do instead."

"For we value our true friends." Kaldur said. "And unlike you, we are not short on them." Kid Flash, Nightwing, Blade, Superboy, Guardian, Bee and Batgirl lept out of the caves.

"Hey there, Vandy. You miss me?" Kid asked.

"Well played. Well planned. But the Light always has contingencies." Savage said.

The Brain glowed and the exits were sealed and the roof of the cavern opened up. Go time. We, and all of the other _real _ninja guards jumped in and took up positions around the Light members. I was closest to Artemis and Ra's. I unsheathed my katana that I took from the guard when I nabbed his uniform and felt the familiar weight of the blade. I hadn't wielded one one of these in a while.

"I've had my fill of your interference. Do not expect to survive. Kill them all. Superboy may present a problem but we'll deal with him when the others children are bleeding on the ground." Children?

"Still you refer to us as children." Aqualad said. "No wonder our successes mount. You consistently underestimate us."

Blue ripped off his mask and put his suit on. He flew into the air and blasted the Reach soldiers. Lagoon Boy grew in size and Beast Boy turned into a gorilla. Together they attacked Monsieur Mallah and Ra's al Ghul's body guard. I whacked a soldier across the back of the head with the back of my blade and turned to face another. I raised my sword high and brought it down on the guard's. It snapped in half. Well so much for that. I tossed aside the broken hilt and punched the guy into a wall. I held my arms at my sides and my suit was torn to shreds and replaced by my Green Lantern suit. Much better. I smiled as I saw the Robin, Impulse and Wonder Girl take off their masks.

"Show off." Wonder Girl complained.

"Hey guys," I said, "Bet I can take down more ninjas than you."

"You're on." Impulse smiled.

"What? No fare, you guys have powers to help you!"

"Ready? Set. Go!" I shouted and dashed cross the room, tackling another guard. One punch and he was out. Three. I looked up and was about to hit another when he went flying back. Impulse! "Hey, he was mine!" I called as I blocked a blow from a Reach spear. I grabbed the guy behind his neck and hurled him at one of the guys Wonder Girl was fighting. She glared at me and I flashed her a grin. Five. I kicked the sword away from the next guy and, in the same motion, kicked him onto his back. I got on top of him and punched him in the face. Six. I got up and was blasted from behind. I stumbled forward and was caught by Robin.

He smiled at me, "Tired already Green? I'm already on ten!"

"What?" I asked. I looked around, we were surrounded. I counted them, "Seven for me, six for you."

"Why do you get the extra?"

I punched out one of them. "That's why."

Seven. Eight. Nine. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen and a half, yes I was counting assists! I grabbed the shirt of a guy who was tying to cut my legs off with a broken sword and hurled him at Robin, who just jabbed him with his electrified pole.

Then I saw Black. He looked at me and we stared each other down for a moment.

"Round three?" I asked with a snarl. I hadn't forgotten what he did to Cassie. He bellowed at me and charged. I waited until he got to me and dodged left. He ran right past me and I grabbed the pincers on his shoulders. With a great heave I threw him across the cavern and into a stala-we've-been-over-this. I flew at him and punched him in the chest do hard his armor cracked in several places. He blasted me into the air and Wonder Girl caught me.

"I seem to be falling for you again and again." I half-joked.

"Need some back up?" She asked.

"Alright but he counts as mine." I smiled.

We charged him and assaulted him from every angle and almost had him. But Wonder Girl threw her lasso around him and tried to hold him down but he only grabbed it and swung her around and into me.

"Warrior!" The Ambassador called him and he flew away.

"Well that was anticlimactic." I huffed as I saw him fly away. I would've followed but I was covered in ninjas. Why is it always ninjas?

By the time it was over, Black Beetle had escaped with the Reach scientist and so had Ra's al Ghul and Savage, but we had won a great victory. The Reach would be brought down soon enough with the confessions we got. And the Light had been ripped in half! I sat up and realized that Cassie was hugging me. I wrapped her up in a big bear hug and spun her around as she giggled. I held her close and pressed my chin to her head.

"We did it!" She shouted.

"Yeah." I smiled. "We did."

"So, Green, how many did you get?" Robin asked walking up to me.

"Twenty seven!" I proclaimed proudly.

"Ha!" He laughed. "Twenty nine."

"No way."

"Yep."

"Please!" Impulse gloated. "Thirty five."

"No, you see that's not fair you have the speed. And I was fighting Black for part of the time-" I started arguing.

"Hey you were the one who started it!" Robin said.

"You didn't say that there were any rules against my speed. And besides if there were _that_ wouldn't be fair."

"Uh, boys," Wonder Girl interrupted with a smile, "Fifty two."

We all stared at her with gaping mouths in disbelief.

"Close you're mouth, dummy." She said as she shut mine. "Now, are you just going to stand there all night or are you going to help us clean up?"

* * *

AN: Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17: Endgame

AN: Last episode of the show! I will be continuing on but after a break. In the mean time I have started a A:TLA FF if you like that sort of thing. Enjoy!

* * *

I punched another Reach soldier as he tried to charge me. These guys were annoying! You'd think after I beat the crap out of the last twenty guys he'd just think, "Hey, we can't do anything to hurt these guys! Maybe we should run or surrender!" But no, they just kept coming. I fought along side Aqualad, Blue and Green. It felt a little weird to be fighting _beside _Aqualad but now that we knew he wasn't a traitor I just went with it. After we reveled the Reach Ambassador's admittance to try and overthrow the human race as the owners of Earth, well people weren't too happy. So now we were on the Reach's ship outside the UN building, going after Black Beetle and the Reach scientist that escaped from Santa Prisca. We got to the bridge and saw them standing at the front screens.

"Enough." Black said. "The Ambassador tied my hands. But the Ambassador is gone. Now all the hero meat will die."

"You sure about that?" I asked from across the room.

Blue fired two staples that grabbed the scientist and pinned her to the glass. She struggled against her bonds but to no avail. Blue, Green and I all started taking out the guards around the room. I grabbed one and threw him up. A pair of staples hit him in mid air and attached him to the wall. Aqualad faced up against Black.

"You are alone." He told Black.

"I am sufficient." He retorted. They both yelled and charged each other. They locked swords but Black fired his chest-cannon at Aqualad and he was launched back. "As for you, brothers, I tried to keep you on mode, or at least salvage your scarabs. But, clearly, all four of you are corrupt beyond redemption." He said.

"It is you who are corrupt." Green called. Black jumped at him but he slammed him into the ground using his telekinesis. He held him up and two arms shot out from Green's scarab and hooked into Black's. "But I will reset your scarab and set you free!" The arms glowed green.

"Freedom is overrated." Black sniped. The arms turned purple and sucked back into Green's suit. He shouted in pain and is suit turned black and crumpled off of him, including his scarab. He fell to the floor.

"No." I said. Was he...?

"I hate martians." Black said. "Destroying your scarab would kill most meat. But you survive. If briefly." His hand turned into a plasma gun.

"No!" Blue called. He jumped in front of the blast.

"You! You are the cause of this debacle." Black called. "It is long past time your scarab was destroyed, and your life ended."

Two arms shot out from Black's scarab and attached to Blue's scarab the same way that B'arzz's had. The arms glowed purple and they just stood there for a second. I was worried for Jaime's life but I trusted him. And sure enough, after a moment the arms turned blue and Black's suit crumbled.

"What have you done?" Blue asked.

"Way to go!" I threw a fist in the air.

"It is over." Aqualad said. "We have won."

"No." Blue said. "We lost."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"When my scarab tapped into Black's we learned he's already set a plan in motion to erase all evidence of the Reach's attempt to conquer us, by destroying the Earth!"

* * *

"Every single Magnetic Field Disrupter must be disabled before they chrysalis to guarantee Earth's safety." Captain Atom told us. "Each MFD is protected by multiple Beetle Tech Drones, and each drone is the equivalent of a Beetle warrior. Blue Beetle has located twenty MFDs around the world. There's forty of us assembled here, so you'll be in squads of two."

"You will all be issued multiple Reach-Tech Eggs, containing my anti-Reach virus software." Lex Luthor said. Yes, Lex Luthor was helping us. Weird. "While one hero runs interference with the Drones, the other only has to physically touch his or her egg against an MFD to disable it."

"You really think we can trust Luthor?" Cass asked me.

"It's his world too. Pretty sure he doesn't want it reduced to space dust." Robin answered.

"Yeah, he can't dominate the world if there's no world to dominate." I joked.

"Besides, we don't have much choice." He said solemnly.

"Alright, I have your assignments. We'll distribute these eggs and go." Cap'n A called.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the fate of the world is in your hands." Luthor said.

We lined up and got our eggs. Four each squad, so two per person. I got partnered with Cassie, we were Gama and headed for Gotham.

As we flew she came in close to me and said, "I'll hold off the drones, you plant the egg."

"What? You don't trust me to protect you?" I asked.

She smiled, "Who said I needed protection?"

We got to the city and it did not look good. The sky was blackened by storm clouds and lighting struck everywhere. The MFD was in the park in the middle of the lake. We landed and hid behind an overturned picnic-table. I looked at Wonder Girl.

"Look, now's not the time to argue. I'm better at long range combat than you so I'll lay down cover and you go." I shouted above the wind. She nodded.

I flew up and blasted the first drone out of the air. Wonder Girl dashed forward and one of the other drones turned to shoot her but I got it first. I sped forward and sliced the last in half as she planted the egg. The sky cleared up and the wind died down.

I let out a breath and turned on my comm. "Gama reporting in. The MFD is down and dis-_ABLED!_" I called as Cassie lept at me. She wrapped her arms around me and cheered.

"Woo hoo! We did it!"

_"Good work Gama." _Snapper Carr replied.

"Just saving the world, again." I smiled. I could feel the heat of her seep into my body, fueling the fire within me. I looked into her eyes and smiled. I was beginning to love that smell of hers. I realized that her lips were only inches away from mine. I urged the gap between us to shorten. My heart pounded so hard that there was no way that she couldn't feel it. Every part of me tingled with anticipation as I drowned in the endless crystal pools of her eyes. She smiled at me and bit her lip. I touched my forehead to hers. I leaned in and-

_"Twenty squads deployed, twenty MFDs destroyed. The mission was a success. We have done it!" _Carr reported jubilantly.

_"We missed one." _Atom said. At this news I broke away from Cassie.

"What!?" I asked.

_"The Earth's magnetic field is still being disrupted."_

_"Blue Beetle to Watchtower. I'm reading a twenty-first MFD. In the Arctic. Hidden from my previous scans by the Earth's north magnetic pole. Sending coordinates."_

_"There are no Zeta-Tubes in the Arctic. How are we going to-"_

_"Don't worry gang." _Flash said. _"I've got this."_

"Always the showboat." I huffed.

_"Flash to Watchtower. The Magnetic Field Disrupter, it's already gone chrysalis. I'm not sure if the egg-"_

_"The egg is useless now." _Luthor told them. _"You're too late."_

_"What now?"_

_"Now you run."_

_"Hey I'm no quitter. There's gotta be-"_

_"I didn't say run away. I said run. Together you and Impulse should be able to negate the chrysalis by running counter to it's energy flow."_

_"Is it really that simple?"_

_"I wouldn't call it simple." _Atom chimed in. _"You'll be attempting to to siphon its power with your own speed trails. It'll take a massive amount of kinetic energy. And no matter what, don't slow down until the chrysalis is completely neutralized."_

I thought to myself for a moment.

"What is it?" Cassie asked.

"I was just thinking, we could probably get there in time to see what happens." I told her.

She laughed once then stared at me. "You're serious? There's no way we'll get there in time to see them leave!"

I smiled at her. "You may not be able to, but I can."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh no! No! I am not going to-"

Before she could protest further I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her in close. Then I took off at full speed headed for Blue's coordinates.

"AHHH! Oh you jerk!" Cassie cried and tucked in close to me. I laughed maniacally. "Don't you dare drop me."

"Never." I smiled at her.

Although it shouldv'e been freezing at the altitude we were at, I felt hotter than at ground level. My heart raced at the feel of Cassie's touch on my chest, sending warmth through out my entire body. I felt Cassie snuggle her face against me and realized that she wasn't protected from the cold like I was thanks to my suit. I adjusted my arm around her shoulders and pulled her as close as physics would allow. I heard my heart pound in my ears, and I felt hers against my chest. She smiled up at me. I loved flying. It was exhilarating. But flying with Cassie was just euphoric. My head pounded and hurt, but in a good way.

We got to the pole and saw a giant typhoon in the center of the land. We landed just outside the pull of the storm. I looked and saw the shape of the three speedsters running around the outside. Three? Kid Flash must've joined Flash and Impulse. The Bio-Ship landed next to us and Artemis, Miss Martian, Blue Beetle, Superboy, Nightwing, Blade and Aqualad hopped out.

"Look. It's working!" Nightwing said. "They're shutting it down."

Finally the typhoon disappeared in a big puff of snowy-smoke.

"They did it. Ha!" Miss M said. The smoke cleared and we ran up to see Flash and Impulse hunched over, breathing heavily. "It's over!"

I clapped a hand on Impulse's shoulder. "Good job squirt."

"Congratulations. You have sa-" Aqualad started.

"Wait!" Artemis called. "Where's Wally?"

"Artemis." Flash said to her. "He wanted me to tell you-"

"No! No!" She protested.

"He loved you." She broke down sobbing.

I heard Cassie's breath catch and I pulled her against my chest. I lowered my head in respect for Wally West. But I refused to cry. My eyes burned and I felt Cassie's tears wet my chest but I couldn't. I had already cried too much for lost friends. And Cassie needed me to be strong. So I was. I would be whatever she needed.

* * *

I should've been excited. I was finally going to meet the Green Lanterns of Earth. But any excitement turned foul and to bile. The entire Team was headed to welcome back the Leaguers from Rimbor at the former Mount Justice. By the time we got there, they were already there. I noticed Guy Gardner, one of Earth's Green Lanterns, nudge the others and point at me while whispering something.

"Aqualad, what happened?" Batman asked.

"And who is that?" Hal Jordan asked, pointing at me.

"Fear not. The crisis has passed. Though at a terrible cost. I believe ot would be best if we all talked at the Watchtower."

* * *

I stood in the gardens of the Watchtower waiting for the Green Lantern's decision. I had told them everything. How I got the ring, how I found the Team. Then Nightwing and Aqualad took over, explaining what I did with the Team and what they thought of me. I wasn't allowed to hear that part, or their discussion afterward. Now I paced back and forth. Cassie kept me company.

"Don't worry." She said. "You've done a good job. They're not just going to tell you to give up your ring."

"Can we talk about something else?" I asked.

"OK, what do you want to talk about?" She asked.

"I don't know!" I threw up my hands. "What are you thinking about? Cause what I'm thinking about is stressing me out."

She sighed. "Now? I'm thinking about Wally."

I stopped and looked at her. I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah... me too."

"I just can't believe he's gone." She said.

"I know. Poor Artemis." I sighed. I walked over to her and sat next to her.

"It kinda puts things in perspective." She said.

"I know what you mean."

"Our lives are just so insignificant."

I put a hand on hers, "You are significant to me."

She looked at me for a moment and leaned against me. I smelled that lovely sweet fruit and she laid her head on my shoulder.

"Tommy, I-"

She was interrupted by the Green Lanterns walking in. "Well Tommy, I think-"

"OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Cassie blurted out. I looked at her and she grabbed me by the shirt collar. "No more interruptions, dummy." She said. She dragged me to her and kissed me on the lips. It was kind of awkward. Our faces smushed up against each other. I just sat there for a moment. When she pulled back she looked really embarrassed. "Tommy, I'm sorry. I-"

I silenced her by holding her face tenderly between my hands and pulled her to me. I gently pressed my lips into hers, feeling their softness. Slowly we tilted our heads to get a better angle at each other. Her arms crept up my chest and around my neck and my hands glided over her body before resting in the small of her back. I think I finally figured out the fruit sent, she tasted like it too.

She pulled away from me and breathed heavily. I smiled like an idiot. "Cherry." I said. She blushed.

"Hmm hmm." Hal Jordan cleared his throat. Oh crap! I just remembered that they were there. "Excuse me, Cassie, but could we have a moment alone with the boy?"

"Don't worry, we won't kiss him." Guy said.

"Uhh, right." She said and ran off. She turned and called to me, "I'll be waiting by the memorials when you're done!"

I sighed as I watched her leave. Cherry. I had a new favorite fruit.

"Alright love bird, here's the deal." Hal said. "We have to take the Reach to Oa to stand trial. But we all agreed that you've done good work here. But you do need training. So we'll talk to the guardians about this, but for now. Good job." They all smiled at me.

I couldn't believe it. They all thought I had done good! "Th-Thank you. Thank you all!"

As they walked away Hal tousled my hair and said, "Ya' done good kid."

* * *

I stood by the memorial of Jason Todd with Cassie and Virgil. Cassie lased her fingers through mine and I slowly rubbed the back of her hand with my thumb.

"Welcome to the Team, Virgil." Cass said. He had decided that he liked being a hero.

"Call me Static." He said with a smile.

"That's... OK." I said. "But I would've gone with something more along the kines of _Shocker_!" I said.

"Isn't that a comic book character? And a villain?" Static asked.

"That's why it's so cool!" Cassie elbowed me in the ribs. "So, what about everyone else? Sam, Ed and Tye? I guess they didn't want to be apart of 'club beat up bad guys'?" I asked.

"Well Arsenal was always more of a solo act. And the others are getting out of the game." He explained.

"Ed did say he wanted a cure, and Tye was never really up for hero duty." I sighed. "But hey, it's good to have you dude." I high-fived him.

_"Team. Report to the mission room." _Aqualad said over the intercom.

"Having stopped the Reach invasion and broken the Light in half, the Team will now operate out of the Watchtower, side by side with the League. Not because Mount Justice was destroyed. But because you earned it." Batman said. I think I may have been hallucinating because I could've sworn I saw him smile!

"And so, we'll leave you to it." Mom said. The Leaguers left us to ourselves.

Aqualad turned to the rest of us and said, "This team has had successes, but much remains to be done. Superboy, Miss Martian, Beat Boy, you're Alpha. B'arzz O'oomm has called from Mars. He needs help. Tigress, Kid Flash, Bumblebee, Guardian, you're Beta." Impulse had taken up the mantle of Kid Flash and Artemis had chose to remain as Tigress. "LexCorp is bringing out the Reach soft drink under a new name. We need proof. The rest of you are Gama and will investigate Batgirl's lead on Vandal Savage's next move. Dismissed."

As we walked to the Zeta-Tube I thought to myself. "Hey guys." I called. They all looked at me. "We need a name."

"What do you mean?" Blue asked.

"Our team." I said. "We need a name."

"We have a name, the Team." Lagoon Boy said.

"That's not a name!" I said.

"Well what do you suggest?" Static asked.

"How about... the Teen Titans?" I asked.

Everyone looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"Dude, that's so dumb!" Static said.

"Alteration is stupid." Blue agreed.

Cassie put her arm around mine. "I like it."

"Ugh." They all groaned. I didn't care. This was just my life now. I think Dad would be proud.

* * *

**Oa:**

"You're sure?" One of the Guardians asked the three Green Lanterns from Earth once more.

"I'm positive." Hal responded. "He said, 'September seventh, two thousand eleven, Earth time'."

The Guardians looked around at each other troubled. "How old is the boy again?" Another asked.

"He is fourteen, Earth-years old." John Stuart replied.

"Maybe the records are wrong." Hal suggested.

"Our records are absolute." One of the Guardians said. "And they read that all of our Green Lantern Rings were accounted for at the time of said incident and have been ever since."

"So that begs the question-" Another trailed off.

"Where did Tommy's ring come from?" Hal finished.

* * *

AN: So, that's the end of the show! But as, obvious from the ending, I will be continuing on! After a break. And as always, thank you for reading. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


	18. Season 2 Prologue

AN: I'm BAAAAAAAAAAACK! Greetings and salutations to all of my patient readers! I would like to personally welcome you back to the adventures of Thomas Crane! I have hit a rather irritating end to all of my inspiration for my other story _The Golden Dragon_. But although it's nowhere I have decided to take a break and go back to something a bit more… comfortable. Writing this story just feels like putting on a nice old sweater. But in any case, this story will be a bit different from here on out. I will be writing it whenever possible but my schedule has become much more crowded so it'll be less frequent. And also since the story arch I have planned out is a bit splotchy I'll be taking requests. If you have an idea for a chapter then shoot me a pm. If I like it, I may incorporate it in (giving due credit), with a few additions/replacements/subtractions if necessary or to help progress the overall story. As for what to expect for season two (I don't count the first season of the show because I didn't write it in)? Well, I'll just say that it's going to be a lot more… mature. Mwahahahaha! And now, please enjoy!

* * *

"Having stopped the Reach invasion and broken the Light in half, the Team will now operate out of the Watchtower, side by side with the League. Not because Mount Justice was destroyed. But because you earned it."

* * *

**One Year Later:**

This is my story. I am Thomas Crane. Thomas. Tommy. Tom. My name. It's weird, you never really think much about your name. You know it. You may like it or you may not, but you don't think about why. Well, right now I am thinking about my name. Why? Who knows? But I was. It's simple. My first name, Tom. Given by my mother from her friend who died in a car accident. My second, Crane. The name of my father. And grandfather. And his father before him. And so on. My father… He was a simple man. Never did anything worthwhile. Just did what he thought was right every day of his life. Or so I thought, before…

I was in the middle of nowhere. Some city abandoned because of radiation from a nuke or something. It was hot there. Real hot. But, it was in a desert, a desert of yellow sand. Not on earth though. I don't remember the name of it. I didn't have my suit. Or my ring. I felt naked without it. But that was the point of this training.

I snuck through the alien city, keeping to the shadows. A thick layer of sweat, silt and grime had developed upon my brow. My body was adorned with a simple outfit. Jeans, a t-shirt, hoodie, sneakers, a rag over my face, and a pair of sun glasses protected me from the current sandstorm whirling through the area. The smell of the sulfurous sand was making me gag. The entire environment was incredibly inhospitable that the air itself made my skin chafe in weird and awkward places. For not the first time that day I wondered why Hal had picked this of all planets for this particular training session.

As I hid from my pursuer I couldn't help but think of home. Of the Team, and Mom, and Cassie… We had only just begun dating when Hal Jordan had gotten back from Oa proclaiming that I needed training with my ring from actual Green Lanterns. Huh. I haven't even really been able to talk to her over the phone or anything. For some reason, Verizon doesn't have interplanetary coverage. Although, I have sent messages through Hal. He was my guard dog, watching my every move. He was cool about it though. He was kind of becoming something of a second father to me. But he was a real hard-ass in training. He gave me no slack and sometimes it seemed as if his conscience had committed suicide. He ran me harder than anyone else had in my entire life. Even harder than… Tara… But I could feel myself getting stronger. Both with and without my ring, mentally and physically. Right now we were doing "stealth training." It was just glorified tag.

My days had become rather circular. I would wake up and hunt/forage for whatever food I could get. Then after I ate Hal would show up, somehow he always showed up when I was done eating. I think he spies on me. The freak. Sometimes he would randomly tell me that we were going to a new planet and we would just up and leave. He would tell me what we were doing that day and whether or not I would be using my ring. If so, he'd give me it and we'd go off. We did speed training or strength or problem solving or escaping a trap or strategizing or so on. After we were done with training I would give him my ring and go back to or set up camp. I had to do it all alone. Part of "training." Then I would get whatever food I could and sleep. Then rinse and repeat. Occasionally, although rare, Hal would actually join me for dinner. It felt awkward at first, but I came to welcome and even long for his visits to my campsite. It was the only contact with someone else that I got and I craved it immensely. He didn't say much. And he definitely didn't cottle me. He'd say, _"You're not a child and need to get used to not being treated like one."_ I thought it was ironic. After all the time on my own, he said I needed to mature more. Whatever.

I sat in- I guess you could call it an alleyway. I looked up at the stars and smiled to myself. Cassie. By my math, it'd be night time on the East coast by now. She might be looking at the stars too, thinking of me. I'd say something romantic like that she was looking at the same stars but in all reality, I was in a different part of the galaxy. There was no way that she could see any of these balls of gas. Plus, that romantic crap isn't really my style. But if you all really want me to, I'll try. I missed her so much. The sparkle in her eyes. The feel of her lips on mine. The curve of her back as I run my hands run down her body. The smell of cherry that permeated the air as she flipped her hair. Oh god, how I missed that smell. I longed to caress her face and hold her close while we spoke about the stupidest of things like which pizza place had the best dipping sauce but terrible breadsticks. Or why SpongeBob wasn't a triangle. Or where we wish we could go someday, making very loose plans to travel the world together. I hope we do. I wish I could've spent more time with her before I left. But, I will see her again. Soon…


End file.
